Une Lueur Dans La Nuit, or How Two Lives Collided
by Elanor20100
Summary: When Anna-Grace stumbles upon Bruce while running away from her abusive ex-husband, the boy only wants his mummy. She knew she should have left the kid at the nearest police station, but that kind of trust is out of her reach. Her last hope is to keep her troubles out of his life. Too bad neither one of them knows about a little recurrent newsflash called the Avengers...
1. An Out Of A Kind Meeting

Hello, welcome to my first project on this website. I intend on finishing it, so even if it might take time, I will. I know where I'm going, no worries ;)

To help with the flow, thoughts will be in italic, and speaking will be in quotes.

Hope you'll enjoy it, and I welcome any constructive criticism.

Disclaimer: None of this fantastic universe is mine, except Anna-Grace!

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **A One Of A Kind Meeting**

New York City: an evening in November 2015…

In an almost empty street, a young blonde woman in her twenties emerged from a shadowy building. The night was fresh and she was wearing woolen gloves with what seemed to be hand-me-down clothing. She walked for five minutes, going back and forth as if she was trying to lose a pursuer, her black woolen scarf swinging across her back every time she took an abrupt turn. She stopped in front of a grey car, opened the front door, driver side, and got into the vehicle. She waited for the heating system to settle in, and for her body to relax as much as it could - even if that wasn't a lot, given everything going on. This was her way out. With her new - and false - passport, she would be able to leave the country for good. She wouldn't regret a lot. There was too much to fear around here. She put her new ID and plane ticket into the glove box and started her car, after taking her gloves off. She adjusted the rear-view mirror and began to drive off.

Suddenly, she jumped, looking into her rear-view mirror again. No, she wasn't hallucinating. As impossible as it was, a little boy, no more than four or five years old, was sitting in the back of her car. With curly brown hair, big brown eyes opened wide like a deer caught in the headlights, he was small and still shivering, despite the warmth settling in the car. He was wearing old rags. _Just like me_ , she thought. She would remember this moment as long as she lived. Those five seconds or so between seeing the boy in the rear-view mirror and parking hastily would change her life forever, even if she didn't knew it yet.

As she looked at the boy, still via the rear-view mirror, she opened her mouth, ready to say something - only to close it again. This happened several times. She then realized she didn't know what to say. Indeed, as strange as it seemed, he didn't appear to be nervous or dangerous. He wasn't some psychopath kid waiting to kill her, nor was he scared to be caught in her car. Maybe surprised, but not afraid, not after those five-seconds or so in which he recovered whatever confidence he lost and needed, and was now watching her, waiting. Maybe this was what decided how the situation would evolve. She knew this expression all too well. It was resignation; someone knowing he did all he could to save himself, waiting for the aftermath. When you have nothing to lose but your life, all you can do is wait for the right moment to flee. The kid was clearly on the run, given away by his old clothes, the dust covering him and his tired eyes. He was like her. But he was just a child, needing help. She had to do something, at least today. She had a few hours to spare anyway.

She finally turned to the young boy in the back and said,

"Hi, my name's Anna-Grace. Do you need a lift?"

He nodded.

So, she started her car and drove away into the night.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

They drove for about an hour, she trying to figure out what to do, and he staying silent, sleepy eyes taking in the beauty of the city by night.

Anna-Grace knew she should give him to social services, or some authorities who would take care of him. But she couldn't - hence the free tour around the city. Her thoughts kept running in circles. _I know what I should do. But he seems to be on the run. Not a runaway, he's too young. I mean, I hope they don't start to run away that young… Anyway, either he ran away from his family, which doesn't sound good, given his age, or they're dead. Either way, I can't give him to social services. Who knows what will happen to him out there? I mean, he might end up with good people, but he might also end up with very bad ones. If only I knew a family… But you don't, Anna-Grace. So what know? Keep him? Ha ha, good one! You, on the run, with no family or friends whatsoever, you want to keep the kid. And why? Because you feel like it is destiny, the way he chose your car? Grow up, Anna-Grace. Don't be stupid! You may be lonely, but it doesn't mean you can keep him like a cuddly toy! You don't even know his name! With social services he might find a good family to take care of him and love him. And why do you even care? You don't know the kid, you have no obligations toward him, legal or moral! Drop him off to the police and get the hell out of here, before He finds you!...But then again, what will happen to him? It's obvious you're the first one to care, considering he ended up in your car!_

As for the kid, he was stealing glances at her, just to make sure the blonde woman was still there. Even if he was dreaming, well, it was a nice dream. He couldn't believe she did not scream at him when she found him. If breaking into the car was easy, he had to admit it was stupid. But he had been so tired, and cold, and scared, and the car seemed like the best place to rest. Now that he had met Anna-Grace, he was glad he did it, because she seemed nice and he was finally warm. She was, after all, a girl like Mommy, so she would not hurt him. He could stay there for a while, looking at the strange cars and people, resting, before running away again.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Finally, realizing it was almost 8pm, Anna-Grace decided to stop in front of a fast-food restaurant. After all, you make better decisions with a full stomach. She turned to the boy and asked him:

"Hey, kid, are you hungry? Because I am, and I'm gonna get a burger. Want one?"

He hesitated, looking back and forth between her, the restaurant, and the city. He was clearly weighing which was the safest option for him: food, her, or liberty. But then, his belly rumbled, and reality took over ideas. He was hungry, and he could always run off after the burger; faster, too, than with an empty tummy.

So, the blonde woman and the young child left the car and went into the restaurant. After savoring the warmth inside, Anna-Grace went to the counter, paying in cash for two burgers, sodas, french fries, a coffee for herself, and an ice-cream for him. It may have been the end of autumn, but a child was a child, and ready for ice-cream whenever he could have one.

The place was tidy and had small booths for two or four people at the back, away from the noise of the street and offering privacy. She decided to sit there, and the child seemed to agree. She chose a booth for two with an emergency exit right beside it, which could only be opened from the inside. She sat with her back to the door, allowing her to watch the front and the people coming in and out. The child sat in front of her. Oddly, he seemed reassured by her choices. They ate slowly, taking the time to savor the warm food and the silence between them.

She was sipping her coffee while he was finishing his ice-cream when she decided to speak. She knew she needed more information before making any decision. Besides, if she wanted to earn his trust, they needed to exchange some sort of dialogue.

"What's your name, kiddo?"

He just stared at her, frightened. Despite herself, she felt her heart sink. She knew that expression: it was the "questions? I need to leave!" kind of look.

She then decided to be honest. She didn't know how such a young boy could end up in her car, but he had to be smart enough to know how to break in.

"Listen, kid, I don't want to be hard on you or anything, but I can't leave you somewhere all alone. Either I'm dropping you off at the police or someone you know, or you're coming with me. I don't know what happened to you, and I promise you, if you don't want to tell me, I won't ask, but I need to be sure you're gonna be safe. Winter is coming. Do you know what you'll do when it starts to get freezing outside? And how will you eat?"

He looked at her, then at his ice-cream, and his face became the incarnation of despair. His eyes started to water, and he tried to hide it by blinking quickly the tears away. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, kid, I didn't mean to be harsh," she said gently.

When she opened her eyes, he was regarding her again, even while he was avoiding her stare. She then realized he had never once looked her in the eye. He still appeared to be sad, but he didn't seem on the verge of crying anymore. He was adorable. He was just a kid, but he was more mature than many adults she knew. Again, it tugged at her heartstrings.

She licked her lips and carefully asked him,

"Do you want me to help you?"

Still watching her, he thought about it carefully, scanning her face. He then noticed a small scar near her left ear. He looked her in the eyes for a fraction of a second, then ducked his head, playing with his liquified ice-cream with shaking hands as if he'd done something wrong.

It was her turn to stare at her hands, toying with her coffee, before touching her scar, letting her fingers linger on it. She remembered screams, pain, fear, incomprehension. Every one of her scars, physical or mental, always brought her back to that fatal night. The one that, more than anything, had changed her deep inside.

Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, then raised them.

"It's alright. You did nothing wrong."

He looked at her again, at the scar, unsure. She hesitated, but then admitted to herself: trust goes both ways, right?

"The person after me did this, among others things. You see, I'm on the run too."

His stare was still fixed on her, slightly reassured, but not completely. The kid was now observing her differently, like he was wondering if…

"But I'm not escaping justice," she chuckled. "Even if some cops could be after me," she added bitterly, more to herself than to him.

He still wasn't speaking, but this, oddly, made him relax. She noticed it but said nothing, adding it to her "understanding the kid" list.

She decided to try again.

"So, let's start at the beginning. My name's Anna-Grace. Can you, or do you want to tell me yours?"

He looked at her, opening his mouth as if to speak, but no sound came. He stayed like that for a while, and she knew a hell of a debate must be raging inside of his head. To speak or not to speak? A question that she knew well, and one that could haunt you for the rest of your life if answered incorrectly.

She waited patiently for him to speak, still looking at him, hoping for God knew what.

Suddenly, she heard a small voice coming out of his mouth. It embodied fear, insecurity and long moments of hiding, rough as if not used enough; but above all, it was filled with hope:

"My name is Bruce, Bruce Banner."

* * *

So, that was it, my first chapter! What did you think?

Please review if you thought anything about it, as it will help me improve my writing!


	2. Take My Hand

And here is the second chapter. I hope you'll enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **Take My Hand**

Anna-Grace smiled when she heard his name, warmth overwhelming her. The last memory she had of feeling like this was lost somewhere in the past, when happiness and peace could warm her from the inside. Is that peacefulness? she wondered, almost awed. Why would she feel this way just because a boy she didn't know two hours ago trusted her enough to say his name?

"But at the same time," she whispered to herself, barely audible, "it is a beautiful name, perfectly suitable for an adorable boy."

Said kid, or rather, Bruce, smiled timidly as though he couldn't help it, blushing deeply. She realized he could hear her. _Weird, He couldn't when you talked so low, but maybe you spent too much time alone._ Blushing, she cleared her throat and asked him to finish his ice-cream. As she went to take her cold coffee's last sip, she glanced at him and noticed he wasn't hiding his smile anymore, even if he still was avoiding her eyes.

After finishing her coffee, she looked back at him. Bruce had finished his liquid ice-cream, as asked. _You made him drink liquid ice-cream. Way to go, Anna-Grace_ , she pointed out to herself, annoyed. He was now waiting expectantly for her, staring at her hands. The warmth inside bloomed. The young woman blinked and thought: _Be careful, you're getting attached. Remember you were supposed to leave the country in less than 6 hours._

"Alright, Bruce," she started delicately, "do you want me to drop you off somewhere?"

He averted his eyes, looking around the room. She didn't know if she was supposed to be glad or sad about his obvious displeasure upon hearing this option.

"…Or you can come with me," she added, hesitant.

His eyes locked on a couple sitting two tables away from them, his demeanor surprised and anxious at the same time. Then he asked, trying to sound at ease:

"Where are you going to?"

"That depends on whether you are with me or not, Bruce," she answered softly. "I had plans, but obviously I cannot go through with them if you're-"

"Why not?" he cut in, staring suddenly at her before he closed his mouth as if he had made a mistake. He looked as surprised as she was to witness his outburst.

"I intend on leaving the country, but I only have one plane ticket…" she said with caution.

His face fell at her words, as though she had slapped him, and he looked away. She felt like she had slammed a door in his face, and her heart sank.

Before she could stop, she heard herself say:

"But I can stay and take care of you. I could always find a way to…"

The way his eyes looked back at her, his face filled with hope and peace at the idea of not being alone anymore, Anna-Grace knew in her heart she had made the right call, as crazy as it seemed. _After all_ , she thought, trying to be reasonable, _it'll only be temporary, just enough time to find him a safe family_ _._ But even as she tried to convince herself, she couldn't help hoping for more than just a temporary situation: _Maybe, just maybe…_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After throwing out the trash in the bin, they left the burger place together, both of them calm and quite happy with the situation.

Once in the car, Anna-Grace took a turn at the wheel to think about their next move. _So, let's focus on tonight. We need a place to stay, obviously. Somewhere where I can pay in cash and where we won't be asked too many questions, firstly about identity - at least for the boy. My fake IDs can do the trick for me. It has to be clean and safe for the kid. Could I go back to where I was last night? No, coming back with a child would only draw attention. I can't contact the person who gave me the address, He could find her._ She shivered at that thought, and at the idea of Him being so close. She also knew she couldn't go anywhere He knew about, even if it was more about preserving safety than actual carefulness. He never went to NY and would never think her smart or brave enough to hide in such a huge city.

At this point, she felt proud. She had been escaping Him for more than 3 years, and she was now helping a little life. She wasn't that stupid, finally. Bruce would be safe with her. Realizing she had been lost in her thoughts, she shook her head, looking at the kid in the back via the rear-view mirror. He was waiting calmly for her to decide what to do, observing the city through the window. She couldn't help but smile at this sight. She then focused on the task at hand. _So, all I did was eliminate places. But if I want to find something for tonight, I need to search for cheap motels online._

She turned to Bruce and said they had to find a cybercafe, asking him to buckle up while she started her car. She remembered seeing one when she was looking for the building in which she got her fake papers. She drove in that direction for a while, going back and forth several times as she didn't know exactly where the cybercafe was.

Finally, she found it - a tiny shop lost between a souvenir shop and a hairdresser. Luckily, it was open until midnight.

She found an empty spot a couple of blocks after the cybercafe. _This is my lucky day_ , she thought, and parked. She then turned to the boy and, after weighing the option of leaving a kid alone in a car by night against taking him with her, thus drawing attention, she opted for safety over discretion. _Even if we get a few stares, we can always avoid this neighborhood for a while, and it'll be safer for him._ She got out of the car, went to the back door on the sidewalk side and opened it.

"Let's go, Bruce," she said, smiling at him.

Apparently her calm voice was enough, and he followed her to the cybercafe, staying closeby. She didn't know if she should hold his hand, hesitating between safety and respect for his comfort zone since she hadn't touched him since they met in her car, sensing his reserve.

But as they walked, she saw a man coming their way and did not hesitate to offer her hand to the little boy. Bruce, who was gazing at his feet, heard the man's steps before seeing him. The sight of a tough-looking man was enough to make him glance at the blonde woman. A couple of seconds passed with her hand outstretched to him and her face turned towards the horizon, with a deliberate expression of carefreeness. The man was coming closer, very big, tall, with a black bear, and tattoos…Bruce's heartbeat quickened, and he took Anna-Grace's hand.

They only knew each other for a few hours but this felt right for both of them, individuals alone in a wide world full of danger and strangers. It felt good to have at least someone whose name you knew and who appeared favorable to you. They were taking small steps toward trust, even though there was still a long way to go. But those steps were, at the same time, carefully taken and forced upon them by circumstances. It was an odd balance that nonetheless seemed to put them on the right path, at least for now.

They finally reached the cybercafe. Anna-Grace bought in cash again, Bruce noticed, a two-hour session from the funny looking guy with a goatee and earrings at the entrance. The man then led them toward two seats at the back of the shop. It was furnished with rows of tables and weird machines Bruce did not recognize. Those machines resembled tiny televisions, and people were sitting in front of them, tapping on pallets placed before them.

Once they were seated, the young woman started doing things on the machines. Bruce would've liked to ask her what it was but decided to mind his own business. He didn't know how she would take his inquiry and he wasn't gonna risk making her, the only nice person he had met so far, mad at him for annoying her with questions, or coming across as a smarty-pants. Indeed, those were usually the only two reactions he would get from adults in his life, except from Mommy, of course, but she was Mommy… Bruce didn't want to think about how he missed her, or how he was afraid in this weird place, so he decided to look around at the people discreetly, a thing he was very good at.

While Bruce was examining his environment, Anna-Grace searched for a place to stay, not too expensive or too strict on identification, but still safe, in New York. She first tried with websites specialized in location but she quickly realized she would have to give a name and a bank account number. The first one was manageable but she didn't want to use her fake IDs too much, and she didn't have a usable bank account (or at least one He wouldn't use to track her). So she typed diverse entries on the Google Search Bar, several times failing to find something suitable. Indeed, what she would find was either too shady, too expensive, demanding IDs - or occasionally ones refusing payment in cash. Her hope to find a place for tonight was starting to lessen. They couldn't sleep in her car tonight; not only would it draw attention, but it was extremely prejudicial to the boy!

She tried again, typing other word combinations, but nothing popped up. She was started to become quite desperate when she finally found one that came out as acceptable. Not a 5-star hotel, but it would do for now. She reserved a place with two beds, noted the address on her burner phone, and closed her session. She then looked at the boy next to her, who had not once asked her anything. No, he had waited patiently for her to finish while observing his surroundings with great interest. That was when she finally noticed the way he peered at the computers, like it was the first time he had seen one. _Odd_ , she thought, _but maybe his family was very poor…_

This answer did not satisfy her, but she decided not to linger on it. If he ever wanted to confide in her, she would be there. Until then, let's respect his privacy. Just…

"This is a cybercafe. It's for people who want to go online on computers but cannot do it from their home - often because they don't own a computer. It can be very expensive," she said, softening her voice to him.

He jumped lightly, startled to have been spoken to after such a long time and to have been caught looking around. He studied the machine in front of them, wondering if this was a computer.

Her brown eyes blinked twice as though an unspoken question had been answered, and she smiled at him, as if she understood his fear of speaking before she confirmed his thoughts.

"Yes, what we have in front of us is a computer. You can play games on it, look through your emails, or go online for research, for example."

Some of the words she said meant nothing to him, but he got the broader idea. And he was so tired he didn't really care now. The nice lady's smile widened, as if she sensed his growing lack of interest. She chuckled.

"Well, you must be very tired after such an eventful evening. Let's go; I found a place where we can stay tonight."

Her smile was warm and she still seemed nice to him. She got up, took her purse, and offered him her hand. It was so natural and reminded him of his mother. Without thinking, he took her hand and followed her to the car.

The rest of the night was a blur. He would later remember getting into the car and then being lifted out of it. He had panicked for a few seconds, but she was so comfortable, and he was so tired, that he didn't resist further. He thought he could recall the check in, in some place named Neverland, but couldn't be sure about that. All he knew was that she put him in bed, tucked him in, left some tiny light on, and tenderly wished him a good night. He heard her going to a bed somewhere in the bedroom before he drifted off. His last thought was filled with gratitude towards this blonde young woman who made him feel so safe and comfortable, more than he had in a very long time.


	3. Neverland And Surprises

**Chapter 3**

 **Neverland And Surprises**

"I sang a hymn

To bring me peace

And then it came

A melody

It felt so sweet

It felt so strong

It made me feel like

I belonged

And all the sadness inside me

Melted away

Like I was free..."

Happy, Marina and the Diamonds

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Neverland was a hotel headed by its proud owner, Mr. Peter Stradivarius. He had inherited this little building on a pension 15 years ago, and was at the time delighted with it. It did not look like much back then, but it was his and was placed in Manhattan, New York. Talk about winning the lottery; this was winning the jackpot! To have no sentimental ties with the dead guy, who had absolutely wanted the house to stay in the Stradivarius family, had just been the icing on the cake.

After years of working behind a desk for a company and a job he had hated, Peter had been more than glad to put all of his savings into paying the death duties and renovating this treasure so that it became a hotel, renting the bedrooms at high prices because of the proximity to all of the tourist attractions. This allowed him to live the perfect life - namely reading, eating and sleeping.

Peter had opened Neverland 10 years ago, naming it after his childhood hero at the tender age of 55. He was now 65, but something unplanned had popped up: he was tired of tourists. Everytime one crossed Neverland's door, Peter only had one thought: to strangle his soon-to-be client, who would be dull, always have the same stories, and never surprise him. Moreover, he hated their kids. Old or young, boy or girl, American or not, noisy or silent; if one came in, Peter's only wish was to throw them away with the trash.

Of course, tourists and their brats being his clients, he had to play nice with them. That was the hardest part for him: to behave in a civil manner. He was to grin, saying hello and welcoming them to the city that never sleeps. The robotic procedure would then continue as he answered their stupid questions, asking them how their day was when they returned from a day in the city. He would then finish by pretending to be interested while he wished them a safe return home.

Yep, he definitely hated his job, and he desperately needed a secretary, receptionist, and housekeeper wrapped up into one - before he ended up in jail for killing a client because said client had chosen to joke with his name: "Mr. Stradivarius? Then you must be very good at the violin, ha ha ha!"

 _Go to hell_.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

While Peter was suffocating under his growing hatred for tourists, Anna-Grace and Bruce Banner were getting to know each other. Everyday brought its share of smiles and flourishing affection and trust. Quickly, this new situation transformed into a loved routine they were both grateful for.

They had been staying at Neverland for a couple of days, and she was washing dishes after cooking lunch. He was sitting at the table behind her, drawing with colored pencils she had bought for him the day before. She was thinking about Bruce and how he smiled at her, thanking her whenever she would do something nice for him. The last time had been with the colored pencils. It broke her heart to realize he couldn't have had lots of gifts if he was that grateful over some cheap pencils. At the same time, it was a healing process for her. Her guilt over not being able to offer Bruce something better than colored pencils was lightened, because for him they were enough. Helping a child, taking care of him, was akin to avenging her past life against Him who had taken away what was hers. Being with Bruce was a second chance, and she was determined to seize it with all of her strength, to enjoy every moment with him as she was doing now.

Her heart filled with joy, peace warming her from the inside. She had to let go of it somehow.

She started humming, like she used to in the past - some family habit her mother and grandmother had possessed, to hum when doing something tedious - until she had made the mistake to marry Him. It was some stupid modern song she had heard in the lobby that morning. Her voice was really low, but it felt good.

Then her defense mechanisms kicked in. She realized she wasn't alone, and she wasn't allowed to sing because He didn't like it. Panic rose into her chest, almost choking her, as she turned to Bruce with an apology behind her lips, ready to swear she didn't do it on purpose…

Her eyes locked onto him. He was looking at her, tiny browns curls swinging slowly from the crest of his head. Bruce wasn't scared or angry - only surprised. His sweet face softened her distress, and she smiled at him, trying to hide what she felt was a near failure. She then turned back to her dishes, her hands shaking.

Bruce's soft and careful voice filled the room:

"Why did you stop?"

She tensed. He must have felt her anxiety, because along with the sounds of a colored pencil sketching on paper, he continued extremely carefully:

"Mummy would stop, too, when Dad arrived in the house." He paused, and then whispered: "I never liked that…it was scary."

Nothing more was said between them because nothing needed to be. Anna-Grace just closed her eyes for a second, trying to contain her affliction. After understanding once more that Bruce could grasp her life all too well, she marveled at his amazing ability to put aside his issues in an effort to help her.

Anna-Grace started washing dishes again while Bruce continued his drawing. She would later start humming again, instinctively, but wouldn't stop that time.

And when the dishes would be done and the drawing finished, Anna-Grace would take it, admire it - a blonde woman and a young child with curly hair - say it was beautiful, and hang it on the fridge. It may have been poorly drawn, but for them it was a reminder of that beautiful afternoon; and for Anna-Grace, that was worth all the masterpieces in the world.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later in the week, as Anna-Grace was cleaning the kitchen area, she came upon an empty fridge again. _That kid eats for ten! I swear, he must have a black hole instead of a stomach_.

She thus took Bruce and went to the grocery store two blocks down the road. They walked slowly to match Bruce's pace, hand in hand and enjoying the sun despite the cold. Once at the store, Anna-Grace quickly took what they needed before going to the checkout, where she found some rubber ducks for the bath. Swiftly, she hid them behind their groceries on the conveyer so that Bruce, who was too small to see all that was on the counter, would remain unaware. He did notice that Anna-Grace was hiding something, but decided that if she did not show him, then he didn't have to know what it was. He had learned that the hard way, having to pretend to be blind anytime - and it was often - that his father bought cigarettes on their way back home. Bruce was very good at not seeing what he wasn't supposed to.

After paying in cash, Anna-Grace again walked hand in hand with Bruce, she carrying the bags, and he, the milk. Once in their apartment, Anna-Grace asked him to go play in the bedroom. He took his colored pencils and papers and went to sit on his bed waiting for Anna-Grace to finish cooking the dinner. He had begun drawing a tree with red and purple apples when Anna-Grace came into the room.

"Hey, Bruce, I have a little something for you."

He noticed that whatever she had was hidden behind her back.

"Really?"

"Yep."

She was smiling, trying to hide her trepidation. Bruce couldn't help but smile in return.

"What is it?" he asked.

She grinned even brighter, finally revealing the item. A family of six rubber ducks met his eyes. The father was blue, the mother yellow, and the babies were purple, red, green and orange. The boy was astonished, disbelieving his eyes. It was beautiful.

"But why?" he felt compelled to ask once he at last tore his gaze from it.

"Because colors make life happier. And because they're cute," she answered him, almost laughing.

Her eyes were sparkling, and in that moment she looked so much like his mum that Bruce felt like she was telling him he had the right to be happy with Anna-Grace.

"Mum used to say the same thing. About ducks and colors."

The blonde woman blushed. Then Bruce laughed and said he loved the ducks. She gave them to him, telling him to put them in the bath because she could hear them asking for one with him.

"Really? You can hear them?"

"Yes, of course," she stated very seriously. "You cannot yet because you have to learn their language first, and it's a very difficult one."

He was amazed. She could speak with rubber ducks!

"And with real ducks?" he questioned.

"That's harder, because they move all the time so you have to be really fast; but yes, I'm not too bad at that!"

He laughed. Anna-Grace could understand ducks?! That was the coolest thing ever!

"Now, go, go, your bath friends are waiting!"

He jumped out of his bed and rushed to the bathroom, ducks in hand. She followed him, smiling. After helping him out of his clothes, putting him in the bath, and turning the water on, she then went back to the kitchen.

While she was cooking, she could only hear small parts of what he was saying softly; but that was enough. Between whispered squeals of, "aaaaah!" and "faster!" and "green duck, go!" coupled with splashes, she knew he was finally having fun in the bath. For five days Bruce had remained motionless in the bathtub, afraid to put even one drop of water on the floor. He was now thinking about having fun, not about best behaviors. At last the bathroom floor would be flooded.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

One week had passed since Ana-Grace and Bruce's arrival at Neverland, and Mr. Stradivarius wasn't in a very good mood - again. When he heard one of his clients coming down the stairs, he thought about hiding under the counter - but it was too late. She had seen him. Luckily for him it was Mrs. Lorien, who not only had a strange name, but also a strange son. He had to admit it; he was intrigued.

Because of this it was less difficult than usual to greet her that evening, even considering his bad mood.

"Hello, Mrs. Lorien."

She did not answer, as if she was lost in her thoughts. He repeated himself:

"Mrs. Lorien? Can I help you?"

She was now standing in front of him. When she raised her brown eyes at his face, her hair slipping around her own, her vacant look cleared. She blushed and laughed awkwardly:

"Hmm, I'm sorry Mr. Stradivarius, I was day-dreaming."

"Nothing to worry about," he grumbled, his suspicions raised. _She wasn't day-dreaming_ , he thought, _she acted like I called her by the wrong name_.

"Well, anyway," she replied, "I'm here to extend the lease. My son and I will stay here one more night."

"Of course." Tucking at the white mustache he wore with pride, he studied his calendar and price list. With bitterness he decided to raise the cost of the night: "$100 please."

Anna-Grace paled. This was far more than she had expected - not to mention she was running out of money. But after her negligence she had to pretend everything was fine. She paid, and the owner asked her about her week. As she answered, her anxiety grew. Talking about it was only a reminder of her current situation and lack of employment. Of course, she should've seen this coming. She had only saved enough cash to last for a couple of weeks after leaving the country, and that had been when she was alone. She could've slept at a very shady place or worked off the books. But now she had to take care of a little boy, and he was eating like ten adults - and they had only been at the little motel for six days. How could she last another week with Bruce and no job? She had to find something to do, but she also couldn't leave him all alone. This was a nightmare. The logical option, to drop him off at a police station and flee the country, was each day becoming more impossible to accomplish. She was living with a sword of Damocles hanging over her head, and she knew it.

Mr. Stradivarius was now asking her about what she and Bruce did in the city. He wasn't so chatty usually, but she welcomed the slight change of subject.

"We didn't do much; Bruce likes his routines. We only went to Central Park, but he was delighted every time."

Peter noticed how relieved she was to talk about Bruce, forcing him to second-guess his suspicions. _She really likes her son_.

"Well, did you take him to the carousel?"

"A carousel? I didn't know there was one in Central Park…"

That was enough for Peter to know she wasn't a tourist. Had she been one, she would've looked up activities for kids in New York. The carousel was usually a favorite for young ones.

"Yes, on the corner of 75th Transverse Street and Center Drive; it was built in 1908 and is quite nice to see."

"Well, thank you. I'm sure Bruce will love it!"

"You're welcome, you're welcome. So, are you going back home soon?" Peter asked, falsely carefree.

He waited to watch her reaction and see if she would still pretend to be a tourist. He was surprised when she didn't appear to lie, instead avoiding any direct answer. "I do not know for sure yet. Bruce really likes the city."

Talking about the future brought back all that she had to resolve, and it hit Anna-Grace to the point that she could feel her anxiety coming back like a cannonball. She smiled weakly at Mr. Stradivarius, trying to avoid enduring a heart attack in front of him. After wishing him a nice day, she left for her room.

Watching her leave, Peter felt guilty. Here was, for once, a not too annoying lady, and he was not only letting her get mixed up in her problems, but also adding to her struggles. Maybe she was lying to him about her real name and being a tourist, but it was obvious she had a difficult and complicated life. He barely knew her, but that didn't mean he could act the way he was used to. Especially as she had a kid with her. Despite himself, his heart filled with compassion. It didn't happen often, and he had to admit it felt better than thinking about how he hated tourists.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day when the false Mrs. Lorien and her son went downstairs, Peter welcomed them with a smile. He even offered a candy to Bruce and wasn't offended when the kid declined his gift. No, he was behaving, and proud of himself.

Somehow Anna-Grace sensed this change in Mr. Stradivarius. She guessed the motive behind his abrupt kindness; she should've felt annoyed at such a demonstration of pity, but it was cute and interesting to see a grown man's attitude change because of her difficult situation. The tough looking bear was just a teddy bear, after all. Bruce noticed the change in the man, too, but whether or not he understood why was unknown to Anna-Grace. Mr. Stradivarius might not be as nice as yesterday, but his roughness seemed more genuine now than his polite kindness. When the man had offered him a candy, Bruce had been too scared to accept it. But still, the boy had been eased by that demonstration of sympathy.

As Anna-Grace was putting her black woolen scarf around Bruce before going out, as the day would be extremely cold, Peter asked her if they could have a private word. She glanced at Bruce, smiling to reassure him and asked him to sit at the waiting area in front of the counter while she talked with Mr. Stradivarius. Bruce obeyed, walking over to sit in one of the chairs, his feet swinging above the floor - half because of their shortness and half because of his own slight anxiousness. Anna-Grace and Peter went to the counter, which should've been far enough from Bruce to keep him from hearing the conversation. Except that Bruce was not just any kid, and he could hear everything. He tried not to listen, of course, because he knew he wasn't supposed to, but even with Anna-Grace's scarf around his head, he could still hear them.

"…Mrs. Lorien," Mr. Stradivarius was saying, "I have a confession to make."

Anna-Grace's eyes widened, clearly taken aback. Before she could answer him, he continued,

"I know you gave me a false name."

Hearing this, Bruce's heartbeat quickened. He wanted Anna-Grace to deny something, but she just looked at Mr. Stradivarius, afraid. Again, the man talked before she could answer him.

"I don't care about that; it's none of my business. But I used that excuse to double your room's price, knowing you had no other choice than to pay or to leave, even if you had found out the truth."

The woman was still surprised, but she didn't try to talk now. She just waited for Peter to finish his speech. Bruce was now extremely anxious. Something was going on that he did not understand.

"I apologize. It was unfair to you and to Bruce. I hope you will forgive me. And I intend to make things right." He paused, waiting for Anna-Grace to speak.

"Well…I don't know what to say…" she said, sounding uncomfortable and surprised.

"Ask me what I intend to do to make up for it."

She chuckled, and Bruce relaxed. Anna-Grace seemed more at ease, which meant things were resolving.

"What do you intend to do, Mr. Stradivarius?" she asked, smiling softly.

"I want to reimburse you the difference and offer you a job."

Anna-Grace's smile fell. _What is going on?_ thought Bruce.

"Is this a joke?" She was almost angry now, "Because I have no time for such cruel tricks!"

"You don't understand," answered Peter hastily. "I'm extremely serious. I want to pay you back because it's your money, and I want to offer you a job because I stole from you - and also because I could really use an employee."

Bruce's protector was now looking suspiciously at Mr. Stradivarius. She clearly wasn't convinced.

"Please," Peter said, "hear me out before making any decision."

"Alright, what do you have in mind?"

"I've been renting rooms in this building for a long time now. On this floor, there are two independent apartments. I renovated one before opening Neverland, thinking I would renovate the other one in my spare time. Except that over the last 10 years, I've never had the occasion to."

Anna-Grace was now considering Peter with interest. Bruce still didn't understand what was going on, but if the woman was relaxed, it meant he had nothing to worry about.

Mr. Stradivarius continued,

"My offer is this: work for me as a receptionist and secretary so I can work on renovating the apartment. In exchange, you will have a small salary off the books. Whoever is after you won't find you because of me. I can also let you stay in the apartment for free. I only need a couple of days to make the changes necessary for it to be habitable, but I need more time and someone living in it before I can rent it out. It'll be a win-win situation. Your living in the apartment will keep it in good shape, and I'll have time to renovate it completely if you do the work I do now. Of course, we would need to sign a contract first."

Bruce watched Mr. Stradivarius for the entirety of his speech, understanding something big was going on but not grasping the whole picture. His heartbeat had quickened again, but not because of fear anymore. No, it was trepidation. When the man had finished, Bruce looked at Anna-Grace. She was staring at Mr. Stradivarius, speechless. She blinked, her hands shaking, overwhelmed.

Softly, Mr. Stradivarius said:

"I'm serious about this, Mrs. Lorien."

Bruce looked back and forth between Anna-Grace and the man. When Anna-Grace heard her false name, she relaxed and chuckled lightly, her eyes watering. Her hands were not shaking anymore, but her arms were crossed as if to hug herself. She was smiling, and Mr. Stradivarius laughed.

"I also have to admit I would be very thankful for you to agree on this offer because you would be the one talking to tourists, and I can't handle those anymore."

Anna-Grace chuckled again.

"Well, how could I refuse then?"

Mr. Stradivarius offered his hand and they shook on it.

Bruce ran to Anna-Grace, and without thinking asked her:

"So, are we staying here?"

To say that Anna-Grace and Peter were shocked was an understatement. How could Bruce have heard all of their conversation?

It wasn't a complete surprise for Anna-Grace, she knew Bruce had excellent hearing according to what she learned about him during their flat-sharing week. She knew he was a special boy in many ways. Moreover, Bruce had just shown spontaneity, and he wasn't afraid. It meant he trusted her enough to act freely around her - not to mention someone he didn't know well - and that was worth a thousand surprises. Warmth invaded her more than it had in years, and she smiled at him, answering positively before he understood she was shocked. No way was she going to let him be withdrawn, thinking he had done something wrong. _If I ever find the bastard who made him like that, I swear I'll kill him_. This thought had often come to her that week - but at least this time she could smile at Bruce and be happy to see him recovering whatever trauma he had suffered in his early childhood. She knew well that it did not mean Bruce would now be an extrovert child and never fear being spontaneous, but it was still a small victory.

She held out her hand to him, and after he took it with a smile on his face, she turned to Peter.

"So, why don't we visit our new apartment?"

Peter was still in shock over Bruce's incredible hearing, but seeing how Anna-Grace was looking at him, silently asking him to get over it, he smiled and opened the door on the left of the stairs, thus leading them toward the apartment.

The place was dusty and was, indeed, in need of renovation; but, as Peter said, only a few changes were necessary before it would be livable.

"So, as you can see, on your right you have the kitchen, one bedroom, one bathroom; on your left, the living room, the second bedroom and bath."

Bruce was clinging tightly to Anna-Grace's hand while they visited their soon-to-be apartment. It was considerably bigger than the apartments upstairs, having more than 2 rooms, and was bathed in sunlight. Noticing the windows in every room, she was glad to see they would have light during mornings and evenings, an important detail in winter and its short days. _After some clean up, it could really be lovely_ , she thought.

"So," asked Peter, "should we sign our contract?"

"Why don't you tell me first what my job will entail exactly?"

He grinned at her abrupt answer, explaining,

"Well, mainly welcoming the new clients between 4-7pm, as you know, and taking the key when they leave, between 7-10am. I have a cleaning lady, so you won't have to do the rooms. Neverland has only four apartments on each of the two floors, so we don't have that many clients. Besides, the service is poor around here, and people know that. Just smile and be nice to the kids, that'll be enough. They might have questions, but usually if they do they come to the counter during the leaving and arriving hours."

She was quite surprised.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Yes, I have to admit I don't do a lot. My patience diminished with the years, and I never liked waiting on people."

Anna-Grace studied the room, taking the time to weigh her decision, even though she knew she didn't really have a choice.

"I agree," she said, smiling at him.

He smiled back, indicating the back room with his hand.

"Good. I wrote the contract yesterday, just in case, so let's go to the lobby to sign it now."

 _Mr. Stradivarius obviously wasn't one to procrastinate_ , remarked Anna-Grace to herself.

She followed Peter to the counter in the lobby, Bruce's hand in hers. The child had been quiet since his outburst, looking silently at the apartment. However, he didn't appear to be afraid or sad, so she decided to deal with this later.

Peter drew out papers from under the counter, signing and handing them to Anna-Grace. After reading it carefully, she signed it too, knowing she would never be able to uphold it. She felt hopeful, though, even optimistic. _This may be our chance_ , she thought. While her new boss was putting the contract away, he asked her where they were going.

Puzzled, she realized she might have to cancel her plans if she had to work today.

"At the carousel," she answered, with false nonchalance, even though inside she was disappointed. _I was so thrilled to show it to Bruce_.

Peter raised his head to look at her, seeming to sense her discomfort.

"Well, given we just signed this contract, why don't you and Bruce carry out your plans to celebrate today?"

Anna-Grace didn't know what to say. Again, Bruce surprised her. He tugged on her hand, silently asking her to bend over, telling her with timidity:

"Can we go? I really want to see the horses in the carousel and the ducks in their pond."

He almost sounded guilty, having the nerve to ask her something; Anna-Grace couldn't help but smile to reassure him unofficially congratulating him for his bravery. She got up and turned to Peter, thanked him, and she and Bruce, hand in hand, left for Central Park.


	4. A Little Interlude with Nick Fury

**Chapter 4**

 **A Little Interlude with Nick Fury**

In some secret office/building somewhere in the world, a man was sitting at his desk, completing work on a need-to-know basis. He was tall, muscular, and had one eye-patch covering his left eye: meet the allegedly dead Nick Fury.

Unusually for him, his face was showing every aspect of a worry: his eyebrows dug low, his lips closed tightly, and he was alternating between pacing his office and sitting behind his desk so he could glare more easily at the computer screen in front of him. Obviously he had something on his mind - something preoccupying him greatly.

Of course, Nick Fury was a man like every other. He could become worried or scared. But despite his claims of being retired when everyone who mattered knew he couldn't get away from the thrill of being a secret and essential spy, he was still one of the most decisive people on earth, and loved to think of his job as the daily saving planet kind. Part of it meant he knew how to hide his moods. He would never admit it, of course, but the man loved to practice his poker face.

So when he was obviously worried, as he was now, it meant something was wrong - very, very wrong. Actually (as in, "you know what?". Is it weird? I know it's not very formal, but I wanted the narration to feel "ordinary or common") that would be the time to prepare for the end of the world, because chances were it was coming.

Thus, Nick Fury was pacing and sitting and glaring at the computer in a continuous loop.

Suddenly, a door slammed somewhere near the office in which Nick was hiding - no sorry I mean working - in. Quick steps followed. The one-eye man, in mid-pace, ran hastily to sit in his chair.

The door opened wide and revealed the person Fury was NOT trying to find.

"So?" the woman at the entrance asked, her eyes cool and her body relaxed.

Of course, it was an expression carefully adopted by Natasha Romanoff and Fury knew he had to choose his words carefully if he didn't want to endure her ire. Not that he was afraid, but no one likes to be yelled at. Especially when they're the one usually ordering people.

"Black Widow," he greeted her, nodding.

She entered the room, closing the soundproof door behind her. She then slowly approached and stood in front of the desk for several seconds before sitting casually on the never-used visitor chair.

She stared at him, waiting for his reply - patient for the time being. Nick Fury was trapped, knowing she was ready to wait as long as necessary to get what she wanted. So he answered her unspoken question.

"We still don't know where he is, but the reports should arrive any minute now. We'll have a better idea of what happened to him then."

The auburn-haired woman stayed still, except for her blinking eyes and tightening lips. Things were indeed going wrong if she was letting herself be vulnerable in front of Nick Fury.

"It's been eight days now, Fury. How could he just vanish like this? I would've understood somewhere else, but in New York? What happened to him?"

Her tone was almost desperate, and Fury knew it wasn't an act. He shivered.

"I don't know…I don't know. But I swear to you, we'll find him," he promised her with a final tone.

If they had both been uneasy before their unplanned meeting, they didn't feel it so much now. They would find Bruce Banner no matter what. Because Nick Fury had promised her, and that wouldn't be taken lightly. After faking his death and keeping her in the dark about it, he owed her at least this much. And when Nick Fury promised something in those particular circumstances, whoever stood in his way would be a fool.


	5. Carousel For Some, Headaches For Others

**Ch apter 5**

 **Carousel For Some, Headache For Others**

On their way to the carousel, Bruce's excitement grew. He couldn't wait to ride the horses and watch Anna-Grace talk with the ducks. Of course, it meant it was going to be his last moment with her since she was moving out, but he should've known better. He had believed they would move to the apartment together, but he had understood his mistake when he had seen there wasn't any office in it. Adults needed offices, so Anna-Grace would have to take the second bedroom. There wasn't any room for him there.

Maybe if he had been quieter and better she would have kept him, like on the couch or something. But he hadn't been. Dad had warned him. He hoped he wasn't like Dad had said, an ungrateful little boy, because he really liked Anna-Grace - even if he had only known her for a week. He wanted her to know how grateful he was for what she had done for him. It had been so nice to live with her; not because of the gifts or the smiles…well, not only those… He didn't know how to express it, but living with Anna-Grace hadn't been like living with Dad…it was…safer…

Anyway, he couldn't be a burden to her. Maybe he could just ask her to help him find Dad? He didn't know where to look for him…But maybe that computer thingy…

Getting those dark thoughts out of his head, Bruce decided to focus on the moment. Anna-Grace must've felt he was being despondent, because she squeezed his hand and asked him if he was alright. Her concerned face was a sad sight to behold, so Bruce smiled at her, nodding, half to reassure her, half to determine himself to enjoy their last moment together. She didn't seem convinced but didn't press him, which was enough for him.

Seeing the carousel from afar, Bruce grinned, his excitation and good mood rising. He was so glad to go see the horses and the ducks! _It's gonna be sooooo fun!_

Once there, Anna-Grace paid for Bruce's ride.

"So, Bruce, which horse do you want to ride?"

He looked at the animals, uncertain.

"Do you want to have a look at all the horses so you can pick your favorite? We have some time, and there aren't too many people here yet."

Her voice was calm as usual, tugging at his heartstrings. He would miss her soft voice resolving all of his problems.

"I'd like that, Anna-Grace."

She smiled, and they started walking at a slow pace around the carousel.

Bruce stared carefully at each horse, trying to figure out which one he preferred, until he spotted a purple and yellow one. _My favorite colors!_ He pointed it out to Anna-Grace, who chuckled.

"Yes, he's my favorite too. Beautiful colors. Let's put you on top of him."

Bruce didn't know how she figured out he chose that one because of the colors, but he didn't really care. He was too excited! She picked him up and put him on the horse's saddle. Bruce gazed at the beautiful horse, amazed to be the one riding it.  
He turned to Anna-Grace, smiling so he could thank her, but…

 _She's gone!_ He looked around, frightened. _Is she here? No! There? No! Behind me? No!_ His heartbeat quickened drastically, fear almost swallowing him. Between loss, rejection, and panic, he could feel something scary coming out of him, like a beast ready to roar… _Where is she!? **Where is she?!** Did she leave me?! **Did she just leave us?**_

"Bruce, Bruce, are you alright?"

A voice in the dark, soothing the voice inside… _She's here! **She's here…** Where was she?! **Where was she?**_

"Hey, kiddo, what's wrong?"

The voice, soft and alarmed, was talking to him, but his vision was blurred. He couldn't really see her face. A hand came to dry the tears, and her voice calming him:

"Shh, shh, I'm here, baby…"

Bruce hurled himself at her, holding onto her and wishing it could make her stay. He was sobbing now, louder and louder. He tried to be a big boy and hold the tears in, but he couldn't, and the voice inside was so angry!

Anna-Grace then hugged him tightly, her hand stroking his hair, and she put her head on his as if to envelop him. But this time her appeasing voice couldn't help. He would miss her so much!

The beast inside him was urging him to beg, between anger and pain. Before he could help it, he felt the words tumbling out of his lips, begging,

"Please, Anna-Grace, don't leave me! Please! Please!" _**Don't leave us…**_

Her arms tightened around him.

"Who said anything about leaving you?"

"I know you need an office, and the new apartment only has one bedroom left, but please! I can sleep on the floor! Please, Anna-Grace! »

He put his face in the crook of her neck, half hiding the beast away, half muffling his tears, and started whimpering.

Anna-Grace moved away from the carousel as she answered him:

"Bruce, I intended for you to come with me, to live in one of the bedrooms."

His head still in the hollow of her neck, the beast and he whispered:

"Really? But Dad said adults need an office…"

"I don't. And even if I did, I would rather you slept in your bedroom than keep you out just because I would need to put a desk somewhere…I would never abandon you!"

"Promise?"

At that point, Anna-Grace was near a bench. She sat on it, placing Bruce on her lap. _She's not promising!_ panicked Bruce. The beast was ready to roar again, begging with all its strength, when…

She took his head, forcing him to look her in the eye, and with a firm tone, she said:

"I promise you, Bruce. I will never, ever, abandon you."

She seemed so serious and honest that Bruce threw himself in her arms again. The beast and he cried, but out of relief this time.

She must've understood, because she just hugged him, humming soft songs into his ear. It took him a long time, but he finally relaxed, and the voice inside fell asleep.

Anna-Grace looked at his face. His eyes were still swollen, but he seemed calmer. _If I ever see that father of his, I'm gonna kill him_ , she thought. She was sorry for Bruce, but also mad at the one who had destroyed his trust. Above all she felt guilty for behaving so rashly and was determined to fix her mistakes. _I knew something was wrong. I should've insisted…_

"Do you still feel like riding a horse? Together?" she asked the child.

Bruce nodded, smiling timidly. She took him in her arms and returned to the carousel. She bought a ticket for herself and they went to the yellow and purple horse again. She put Bruce on top of it, standing next to him and holding him firmly.

When the carousel started, Bruce laughed. Timidly at first, but then his giggles exploded like bells to her ears.

They enjoyed one ride, then an another, and another again. Bruce kept laughing and Anna-Grace kept feeling her heart fill with joy and love. _Oh my God, Bruce is such a wonderful boy…_

Then they went to some pond with ducks. Anna-Grace talked to the animals, making Bruce laugh as she faked a conversation with them. She then pretended to teach Bruce how to speak "duck," but of course it didn't really work.

They acted as if nothing bad had happened in the park on their way home, or for the days that followed.

For a while, Anna-Grace would always keep Bruce's hand in hers or touch him in some way if they were outside, regularly touching his hand or head if they were at home, careful not to commit the same mistake she did while at the carousel.

As for Bruce, he would always call her by her name anytime he would talk to her. Sometimes, he would even pronounce her name, only to say it was nothing after he heard her voice answer him. Anna-Grace would just put her hand on his head and continue whatever she had been doing before he called her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

While Bruce and Anna-Grace were in Central Park, Nick Fury received the latest news from his men in the field.

Among reports, complaints, and jokes, a file stood out. It was from one of his younger agents, an extremely serious and polite man whose compiling always stood out among his peers' - considering the seriousness of the job and the life threatening situation the agents often found themselves in, Nick Fury had allowed them to name their files more lighthearted titles, as long as they remained completely comprehensive; most agents did this, with exceptions like the young man in question - except that this time…well... Natasha was peering at him from across the desk, so Nick anxiously clicked on the file whose surprising name was 'Well, boss, I don't know what to say... Just open the damn file!'

It was only a picture of a young boy, no more than four or five, in a park near a pond. Except that the child bore a distinctive resemblance to their missing doctor. Everyone knew it would be difficult for the Hulk to have kids…but the conclusion wasn't reassuring.

"Black Widow, sum up your latest mission report."

"Nick, what's…"

"Just do it, for God's sake!" he cut in, his tone deadly serious.

Natasha tensed, watching her boss close his eyes as if to be more attentive to what she would say.

"D-Day, the Avengers are called to New York…"

"Yeah, skip that part," he cut her off again. "Avengers mission, secret lab in New York with a mad doctor doing illegal experimentations. Go to the part with the strange machine you encountered."

This was…unsettling. The ex-Russian spy quickly recovered from her surprise and obeyed him.

"We were in the room, a machine in its center. JUNIOR - Jarvis' replacement…"

"Yes, I know that, Romanoff."

"JUNIOR warned us about the machine's contents – it couldn't analyze them. The machine started humming because the scientist decided to turn it on before killing himself. I'll spare you his speech, but you get the idea."

"Yes, go on."

"The whole compound we were in started shaking, so JUNIOR advised to evac. and asked Banner to take a look at the machine. We didn't really understand why. Stark was offended, but Banner arrived, took one look at it, and yelled at us to 'get the hell out of here.' He said he had to contain the explosion with the Hulk. We left the building - which collapsed after us."

She left out of her account the fear, the smell of panic and dust that she couldn't shake out. That collapsing hadn't been normal. Taking a deep breath, she finished,

"The Hulk stormed out of the debris. He didn't need a lullaby to transform back into Bruce."

Her boss opened his eye and remarked,

"He didn't?"

She shivered, and he asked her to continue. Half heartedly, she joked,

"Well, we went home."

Fury closed his eye again, his tone grim, and asked her,

"What happened next?"

"We went to Tony's tower to rest. Banner went out to buy some ice - said he needed the walk alone."

There was silence on Fury's end, so she went on,

"It was the last time we saw him."

Silence filled the room for nearly a full minute. Natasha could almost see the wheels in Fury's brain turning at full speed. He finally spoke.

"The machine had a delayed effect. It also probably took so long because the Hulk fought it."

He sighed and opened his eyes.

"Natasha, we were looking at this all wrong. We didn't need to find an adult Bruce Banner...but a child."

He turned the computer and showed her the picture.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It took some time for Natasha Romanoff to accept the truth, but Fury was patient. He needed her, and she would only be fully functional if she got it completely.

He then sent her to Tony Stark to ask him to look into the machine and inform the old Avengers Team of the situation: namely Iron Man, Captain America, and Hawkeye - even if the latter would only need to stand by as long as the situation was contained and as he was on paternity leave. Thor was still doing God knew what in the Galaxy, so he didn't even know about their missing case. They didn't know for sure if the child was Bruce Banner - and if so, if he could become the Hulk again. Either way, he needed to be safe, which meant the fewer who knew about the situation, the better; even at the New Avengers Team's expense. They still required more training, anyway.

Fury gave Black Widow her new mission: to infiltrate Neverland (was that even a real establishment's name?) and, if possible, befriend the kid and his keeper. Find out how they got to know each other, if the child was Banner or not, and what the keeper knew.

Only then could Fury decide what would happen next.

* * *

And here is the end of Chapter 5!

What did you think so far?


	6. New Friends And Revelations

For those of you who review, thank you! It is really encouraging! Thank you dear 'guest', I'm glad you're enjoying this story, and I'm glad My OC is not a complete disaster!

Here is Chapter 6, that I'm publishing under Enji's duress (sorry, the lawyer in me is speaking...), I hope you'll enjoy it!

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **New Friends And Revelations**

Have you ever wondered if an event was mere coincidence, blind chance, or if it was meant to be, destiny, decided by someone else up above? Whatever was your answer, you know we all go through such questioning. Maybe not exactly when it happens, but perhaps later, when you pause on your life, and look back to realize: « wait, if this did not happen, then I wouldn't have lived this? »

That is the question that would come to Natasha and Anna-Grace's mind, when they would think about the day their lives connected. Indeed, Natasha's first day undercover at Neverland was also Anna-Grace's first day as a receptionist, and on that day, their first meaningful action was when they met. Coincidence or destiny? We'll leave this to the reader's discretion but the fact remained: the Black Widow was meeting Bruce's keeper when Anna-Grace was meeting her first client, and this encounter was fundamental for both of them, as if it could and would somehow determine how their situation would evolve.

However, here stops the symmetry. Indeed, if Black Widow prepared cooly for her infiltration, Anna-Grace was a bundle or nerves.

Natasha packed, choosing carefully the perfect attire for a spy pretending to be a tourist, including the listening devices and the camera. She phoned Captain America so he would warn the team, and arrived in New York via Tony's private jet - he owned her so, so much for the ULTRON mess - but afterwards managed like a true tourist, or more accurately, a tourist knowing New York inside out.

As for Anna-Grace, she was so nervous Bruce chuckled several times at her clumsiness, firstly unintentionally, then more naturally when he realized it calmed her. When she finally made it alive to the counter down the lobby, she knew it was mostly due to Bruce, who had been helpful and relaxing. He even reminded her to take a book for her and color pencils and papers for him, thus anticipating the wait.

After Peter's last indications before he left for their soon-to-be apartment, she sat behind the counter, Bruce by her side with a drawing already on the way.

Then, before Anna-Grace could open her book, the sounds from the city - honking, cars, and people talking - were heard as a lady entered the hallway, before the silence came back when the door closed behind her. The first client was thin, muscular, and not very tall with a very pretty face and curly, short ginger hair. She was dressed like some hipster on her holiday, with jeans and sneakers, a T-shirt with some meaningful inscription, and a brown leather jacket. She had a really pretty and fashion purse on her elbow, and an I-phone in her manicured hand, the other one carrying a black wheeled suitcase. _The purse, I-phone and suitcase kind of ruin the « I don't care about material possessions » effect_ Anna-Grace couldn't help but remark with sarcasm before she reprimanded herself for her criticism. Then the blond woman smiled at the ginger one - who smiled back at her when she spotted the receptionist and came to the counter.

\- « Hi, I'm Natalie Roshman, I made a reservation here » she said, grinning, while observing the lobby.

\- « Yes, Miss Roshman, we were expecting you. I'm Mrs Lorien, at your service » Anna-Grace answered, smiling gently but with a professional reservation.

While Roshman was pulling her wallet out of her purse, Anna-Grace took the key chamber and, after being paid for the week in cash, gave it to her new client.

At the same time, Bruce had left his drawing, and was staring in awe at the ginger lady, as if struck by grace or revelation.

Anna-Grace only noticed it when Natalie glanced at him and chuckled. The blond woman turned to her 'son' just in time to see him blush deeply after being caught admiring by the object of his sudden adoration, even though he didn't stop marveling at her. Anna-Grace's hand coming to tangle itself in his curls, his 'mother' said:

\- « Miss Roshman, let me introduce you to Bruce, my son. Bruce, this is Miss Roshman. »

Natalie laughed, and giving her hand to shake to him, said:

\- « A pleasure, Mr. Bruce. But you can call me Natalie. »

Said Bruce blushed deeper, if that was possible, but as the ever polite boy, shook hands with her.

This little incident eased the atmosphere, even if no one really realized the air had been thick with tension, except for the Black Widow of course.

If Anna-Grace was thankful for Natalie's gentle reaction, Natasha was satisfied by this event because it answered several questions. If the boy was Bruce, he obviously didn't remember his adult life or he would've never made his crush so evident. He also didn't recognize her, which she wasn't really glad about. Moreover, Anna-Grace seemed to care about the kid, and Bruce wasn't afraid of her. _She must've found him. Why didn't she bring him to a hospital, or contact the police or social services? If this is Bruce Banner, can he hulk out? And what does she know?_

Smiling at Anna-Grace, the ex-russian spy winked at the boy:

\- « Well, have a nice day, Mr. Bruce. Good day to you too, Mrs Lorien » she said, turning to Anna-Grace.

Natasha left for her room, Room 2, 1st Floor. Anna-Grace was relieved of her successful first meeting. _Well, successful mostly because of Bruce. Speaking of…_

\- « She's real pretty, don't you think? »

\- « AG… » was Bruce's only answer, his red face focused on his drawings.

But, _he didn't deny it_ thought Anna-Grace and Natasha at the same time. The spy had, of course, already planted a listening device under the counter.

The blond woman chuckled and started her book, leaving the kid at peace, after quickly ruffling his hair.

Natasha put on the recording mode of her device so she could listen to their conversation later, and once in her room, called Nick Fury and the Captain to keep them up to date on the child and his keeper. Keeper was the right word indeed, as Mrs Lorien could be keeping Bruce to help him or to sequester him. Natasha was always careful with the terms she employed, part of the job requirements, but she also liked to have double meanings behind her words, it made life so much more fun and deadly.

The Captain and Nick told her how they were still looking into the woman, which wasn't reassuring because given how much resources they had, human, monetary and technological, they usually were able to discover everything there was to know about someone in a couple of hours. To still not be able to know the woman's identity - of course, Lorien wasn't her real name, and her papers were fakes - after more than 12 hours wasn't a good sign.

Natasha was able to help them out on that point, as she told them about the little scar Lorien had near her left ear, a scar which was old and had necessitated surgery. From personal and past experiences, she knew the injury had been deep and severe because of its location, and was only so neat because an army surgeon had operated, using a military method not yet generally used, and probably in a charity hospital were they were more lenient on methods employed as long as lives were saved, which the surgeon did for the false Mrs. Lorien. It was still like looking for a needle in a haystack, but at least they had found a haystack.

Moreover, the woman had arrived with Bruce at Neverland, and it was recent as the kid was a child for less than 15 days, which meant they could with security cameras retrace her steps from when she arrived at the pension to when she found Bruce and even maybe when she arrived in New York.

While Natasha was giving her report, one thought kept lingering in her head, as she remembered how Bruce didn't deny his crush on her: _it means he feels safe enough around her…_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The first thing the Black Widow did the next day was take DNA samples from Lorien and Bruce's room, so SHIELD could positively identify the child, and luckily, the woman. The spy also bugged the room, only to discover the 'family' was moving out when Anna-Grace talked to Bruce about his room design.

Natasha thus sent the DNA samples to Stark - which were at last positive for the child, but unknown for the woman - and went to the lobby the next day, her mind set on causally discovering where they were going to live while also observing them as a 'family'.

What she didn't expect was to be second in line on that project. An other client - _Rosie; 62 years old; white; white hair, with ginger threads, nice…; hippy style with far to many bracelets_ observed Natasha - was already talking with the blond woman and Bruce about that, and Anna-Grace was explaining she would live at Neverland, in an independent apartment, with Bruce. The owner was there too, dust covering him, and in working clothes, to intervene from time to time when the client he obviously knew for a long time was too indiscreet for his liking, while talking with Bruce about his drawings.

While the Black Widow started her spying and reporting on their daily whereabouts to Fury and the Captain like a ghost, the 'family' settled in the Neverland Community. For example, they met Rosie Carpenter, the first client Natasha saw them with, and one of Peter's faithful customers that came every year at the same season. She indeed knew Peter for a while now, and Anna-Grace and Bruce found interesting to see them interacting. As a very outgoing person, she loved to tease Peter and was never impress by his rudeness or grumpiness.  
Her first day back at Neverland, she was surprised to see a receptionist which is why Anna-Grace was explaining part of her deal with Peter, with him on the side to intervene when Rosie, as she insisted to be called, was too indiscreet. Bruce, particularly, enjoyed her easiness and cheerful manners as her friendliness. She was just leaving after Peter when she saw Bruce's drawing:

\- « Well, boy, you're good at art! »

Surprised, Bruce blushed, and almost inaudibly, thanked her. _I preferred her manners when she was talking to AG or Peter…_

Anna-Grace intervened:

\- « Yes, he loves to draw. »

\- « Well, if he does, and if you're interested, I can teach him some technics » the elderly person answered her.

\- « Oh, Rosie, that is very kind of you but you are on holidays, we can't… »

\- « Nonsense! I wouldn't mind at all, I miss it! I was an art teacher but they forced me into retirement. Was too old, if you can believe it! I'm telling you, this government will take us all down! Anyway, I wanted to continue as a private one, but not enough clients on Wyoming. »

Anna-Grace didn't know what to say. A glance at Bruce was enough to tell her what he thought about it. His face was half delight half dread at the idea of drawing classes and being alone with a stranger. Which was kind of what she felt too, so she told her client, frankly:

\- « Listen, Rosie, you seem really nice, but I cannot leave you alone with Bruce, even in Neverland. You must understand, I barely know you, so does Bruce. And I'm not even sure we have the money for it. »

\- « Oh, those arguments aren't valid. I don't need money so I won't be asking you a penny. I'm a real art teacher, I only teach because of Art, because the love must be passed on to the younger generation! » she said to Anna-Grace, almost exalted by her speech. Calming down, she added « I can teach him here, at the counter, no one would mind, I can assure you. It's that kind of place. »

She finished by a nod of her head, as if it could make them believe more in the veracity of her speech, her earrings clicking in the sudden move.

Anna-Grace looked at Bruce again. This seemed to calm his fear. He was looking at her, uncertain but also intrigued. She made up her mind:

\- « Alright, what about we give it a try? You teach him one lesson and we see if both parties want to go on. »

Rosie looked at them, grinned and gave her two hands to shake to them

\- « Deal » she said

Anna-Grace laughed, shook hands at the same time as Bruce, who was barely containing his excitement now.

\- « Well, I've got to prepare for this, kids! See ya! » Rosie said before leaving.

\- « Have a good day, Rosie. See you soon! » answered Anna-Grace, relieved and happy with this new development.

She turned to Bruce, who smiled at her:

\- « Thanks, AG. »

\- « It's my pleasure, Bruce. »

Their conversation ended there, and Natasha learned nothing more from spying on them, except that they seemed to be very close and to trust each other, which was odd considering they only knew each other for less than two weeks, and that Bruce Banner loved to draw, something which she was kind of offended to have had no idea of.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day, Peter had finished several improvements in the apartment. It took him some time, but he was motivated and liked the physical work so he was confident he could start painting the rooms soon. He decided to ask his tenants now what colors they wanted in their apartment so he could look into prices and brands, hopefully allowing him to have the tins when he was ready to start painting. He had to go to the counter in the lobby for that, and it had nothing to do with hoping to see Rosie, nothing at all.

Thus, he went down the lobby, ready to greet happily the kids when he noticed Rosie chatting with Bruce. What he intended as a warm « Hello, kids! » came out as a grunting « Ho ». He tried to convince himself it wasn't out of a sudden but 'inexplicable' anxiety but failed miserably.

However, and he was extremely grateful for it, Anna-Grace and Bruce grinned at him when they saw him, welcoming him warmly.

\- « How are you, Mr. Stradivarius? » asked Anna-Grace.

\- « Oh, come on, kiddo, call him Peter. You know he prefers it » interrupted Rosie, winking at him.

\- « 'He' can speak for himself, Rosie » he retorted, an exasperated hint in his voice.

It didn't erase any of the smiles - or smirk, for Rosie - it made them wider. Anna-Grace's kind smile did however remind him of simple politeness:

\- « But, yes, you can call me Peter, please » he said casually, going to lean on the counter in front of her, with Rosie and Bruce on his left.

Their smiles were enough to tell him it was the right answer.

Rosie stretched out and said:

\- « Well, kids - and yes, I'm including you Peter, considering Bruce is being more mature than you, all the time… »

Peter rolled his eyes but stayed silence as Bruce and Anna-Grace chuckled lightly.

\- « … as much as I'd like to stay, I have a meeting in the city » finished Rosie cheerfully.

She waived goodbye as they all wished her a good day, Peter more grumpily than the others.

Then Anna-Grace turned to her boss:

\- « So, Peter, how are you? »

\- « Good, kid, good, the renovation is going well. That is actually why I came down here. You need to choose a color for the paint. Here is the spectrum. » he said, putting the object from his pocket to the counter.

\- « Oh, don't you want to choose? » she answered embarrassed

\- « I trust you to choose well » he retorted.

Bruce and Anna-Grace looked at the spectrum, and Peter had a great idea.

\- « Bruce, would you like to help me paint the apartment a little bit? »

The woman and the child raised their head, surprised. She looked at the young boy, who was looking at her, hopeful. He obviously was enthralled by the project. To see him at ease with Peter was so comforting she couldn't say no. She knew Peter well enough now to trust him with the kid. And it was only painting.

\- « Alright » she said, « but on one condition. » She paused, making eye contact with Bruce to have his full attention.

\- « I want you to have breaks regularly and to do as Peter asks you too. I know you are a responsible young boy. Can I trust you with that? »

He nodded frantically.

\- « Yes, AG, yes! »

He was grinning so she turned to Peter, saying:

\- « Well, it's settle then. »

They chose the colors. Bruce picked a light purple for his bedroom, with yellow so he could draw suns with Rosie on the walls. Anna-Grace chose several tones of sky blue for her bedroom, a combination of yellow, orange and green for the living room and beige for all the other rooms. Peter noted the orders, and then told Anna-Grace he would pick up Bruce when he would be painting, probably tomorrow afternoon or the next morning, and left for the apartment, after wishing them a good day.  
Bruce went back to his drawings, practicing on his suns and ducks so he could paint correctly the suns in his bedroom and the ducks in the bathroom, thus allowing Anna-Grace to reflect on how well things were going.

She had known Bruce for 10 days and they lived at Neverland since then. _How is it possible to feel so at peace in such a short period of time when I've been looking for security for so long? I know why I got attached to him so quickly, no need to be a shrink for that, but this kind of peaceful atmosphere…_ Moreover, life was organizing itself. She had found a job and a secure place to live, and was starting to find activities for Bruce that did not involve her. As much as she loved being with him, she also knew it was good for Bruce to be around other people, to help him with his shyness. _Look at you, thinking of his well-being like a true mother!_ She laughed awkwardly, and starting reading to take her mind of something she wasn't sure to be ready for.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Two days later, after Anna-Grace's morning shift, Peter went to take Bruce to the apartment, so his mother could also have some personal time, even if she didn't seem to mind being with the boy all the time. While they were painting, Rosie joined them, so they could draw on the walls, and before they knew it, Bruce's bedroom was full of suns.

In the meantime, Anna-Grace went to the grocery shop, and while looking at the shelves, she spotted some school books for children. _That could be nice for Bruce. He seems like the kind of kid to appreciate such exercises._ She didn't know for sure his age because he refused to tell her, so she took a math book for four and five years old children, and a reading book for beginners, even if it said it was for first graders. _He's smart, I'm sure he can learn, even if he's closer to four than to five. Either way, he will always be able to do the first few pages, and it will entertain him. And it's not really expensive._ Little did she know Bruce was smart enough to do both extremely easily.

She went back to Neverland, grocery bags and exercise books in hand, pleased with her discovery. Once at home, she put everything away and joined the group in the apartment, in which she was surprised by drawings and frescos in all the rooms except the living room. She was amused by the kitchen utensils in the kitchen, the suns in the toilet and in Bruce's bedroom, the ducks in the kid's bedroom. But what really touched her were the little ducks and dolphins in a corner of her bedroom, near a rocking chair.

\- « I thought you would appreciate the reading space » told her gently Peter.

\- « Dolphins are my favorite animals along with ducks, how did you guess? »

\- « Bruce told us, of course. »

Then, Bruce took her hand and led her to the bathroom, where little ducks were playing on some walls, but above all, dolphins were swimming on the ceiling.

\- « It looks like freedom, don't you think, AG? »

She looked at the ceiling, then at the young boy by her side, and nodded, smiling at him. Freedom, appropriate for a place called Neverland… This was like punching her husband in the face for all of the times he denigrated her tastes, going as far as mocking her 'childish' love of dolphins.

Yes, Bruce's hand in hers, looking at the dolphins on the ceiling definitely felt like Liberty.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later in the day, during her afternoon shift, Anna-Grace would give the books she bought in the morning to Bruce, before she took care of new clients.

It's only then that she would put two and two together. Watching him solve the math exercises, flying from one to the other, rarely asking her to help him understand the question, she would realize how smart Bruce actually was. This would remind her of the dolphins event. She would mused at how he figured out they were her favorite animals. And when he would've finished the book, in less than three hours, she would only congratulate him.

And this, in turn, would finally make Bruce understand something fundamental. Anna-Grace's rules were not the same as his father's. He had the right to be smart without this making him smarty-pants, as he had the right to act as a child without this making him childish.

So, when in the evening, Anna-Grace would give him the second book, he wouldn't hide how much he loved it, and how quickly he learned the first lessons.

And when he would practice on the newspapers, finally reading the date on it, he wouldn't hide his stupefaction at the discovery. He would just say:

\- « AG, we are in 2015?! »

* * *

Tada! Here was chapter 6!

So, what did you think?


	7. Some Serious Conversations

What?! A new chapter? Yeah!

I know, I know, it's been almost 3 weeks since the last one, and I'm so sorry for the wait, life has been hectic recently as I started university again. But now, I'm settling in, and should be able to publish on a more regular basis.

Dear Guest, I'm so glad you're enjoying this story! I hope you'll like this new chapter! As for Bruce and the date, I have to admit I was really inspired by Trumpeteer34, who did an amazing job on that matter in her/his story Sprout. If you haven't read it, or anyone reading me hasn't, just go because it is fantastic!

Enji, of course AG reads, she's written by a written/reader! ;)

Now, here is the new chapter! (trumpet and drums playing in the background, pu tu tap!, pu tu tap!,)

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 **Some Serious Conversations**

While Bruce and Anna-Grace were making a crazy discovery, Natasha wasn't listening to their conversation, as she was reporting to Fury and the Captain about this first week observation, from her room in Neverland. The first finding she was able to communicate was that Bruce was safe with Anna-Grace Lorien. While they were still trying to figure out who she was, which was starting to be quite long, they at least could be sure of Bruce's security with her.  
Unfortunately, this was the only positive analysis they could make. Bruce definitely was a child, and had no idea of what was going now, or so they thought.

After her bosses told her how to retrace Bruce's steps had been a dead end, as he had transformed into a kid in one of the rare places in New York where there were no cameras, and how they couldn't retrace the woman's steps as it appeared she knew how to hide in the Big Apple, Natasha asked:

\- « Do I renew the reservation? »

\- « We still do not know if the kid can hulk out, Nat. That will determine everything. » answered Steve.

\- « He's right, as long as we are unclear on this issue, renew your reservation weekly. » added Nick.

She assented, and the conversation ended.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

While the spies and the hero were talking, our mysterious woman was daydreaming while cutting vegetables. So, when Bruce asked her if they were in 2015, she firstly didn't 'get' it, and only absently said:

\- « Yes, Sweetie, we are. »

And then she realized it. He had sounded lost. As if he was incapable of grasping the simple concept of being in 2015. Which was impossible, given how smart he was. She turned to where he sat, on the floor between books, drawings and the newspapers he was looking at, clearly shocked.

\- « Which year did you think we were in? » she asked him, feeling concerned.

He didn't answer but only kept looking at the papers in his hand.

\- « Bruce? »

\- « 1974 » he finally whispered reluctantly, eyes glued to his hands.

 _He really was in 1974 before._

This thought brought so many questions that Anna-Grace felt a knock form in her stomach, but it also had a sense of finality. She knew that unfortunately, it was the truth. Bruce was way too smart to be wrong on something so elementary. She also had noticed how simple things could throw him off, several times in the most odd places or occasions. _He didn't know what a computer was_. And he was alone. _That would explain why his father is out of the picture now._ She was still looking at him, when the strangeness of all of this came to her. _How is it even possible?_ Bruce raised his head, looking her in the eye, obviously having come to the same conclusion, because he said, looking lost and defeated:

\- « I was in 1974. I know that. How can it be 2015? »

 _He's probably gonna figure out that one by himself considering how smart he is_ , she thought, _but it doesn't mean I can't help him_.

She went to sat by his side, looking at the newspapers until he took her hand timidly. She then squeezed it softly and looked at him. With her thumb, she stroked his hand, and took the journals from his other one, putting it on the side. He looked at her like she would give him all of the answers. Sadly, she knew she had to first crush his hopes on that matter.

\- « Bruce, I do not know what is going on. »

He looked at the ground, as if defeated but she continued:

\- « But I know we'll figure it out, one way or the other. »

He raised his head, hopeful and asked:

\- « How? »

\- « Well, to start off somewhere, we can try to discover what is your first memory in 2015. »

He looked at their joined hands, her thumb still stroking his hand.

\- « Do you remember when things started to get odd? » she added.

\- « It… It wasn't normal before too… » he whispered, like a confession.

\- « I'm glad you realize that by now, Honey, but you didn't when I met you. » she answered him gently.

He raised his head then looked at the floor again, but this time thoughtful.

\- « No, I didn't. » he said softly.

They stayed on the floor, in silence for a while, him thinking, her looking at her kid… yes, hers, she knew now, as she was praying not to lose him to 1974.

Finally, he spoke:

\- « Before, I was with Dad. I don't like to remember it. It was… not happy. I wanted to be with Mum but… »

Her heart broke when he whispered:

\- « She wasn't here anymore. »

She took him in her arms, hugging him tightly as if it could heal all of his emotional heart wounds. He hugged her back, staying close and warm in her embrace.

He continued:

« Before, I was in my bed. And after, I was in the street. It was cold, and weird… and scary. Dad wasn't there nor was my bed. There were so many noises… »

He hid his face in her torso, and she stroke his hair.

\- « And then you were here, AG. » he finished, finally relaxing.

They hugged, for a long time, relishing their time together. They knew hardships were to come, as they always do, but at least this time they would have each other.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The owner was out, and Bruce and his keeper were in their room, so Natasha took the opportunity to bug their soon-to-be apartment.

When she came back, she listened to their conversation.  
'The mother' was apparently putting the kid in bed, saying:

\- « …you, Brucie Dear »

\- « I'm glad I found you. »

\- « I'm glad you broke into my car. »

He laughed. Then silence. _Something happened_ thought Natasha.

\- « If I can't come back, could I stay with you, AG? » said Bruce's voice.

 _What did I miss?_ was Natasha's second thought.

\- « Of course, Brucy Bear. »

Soft sounds of a hand lifting then stroking a cover, and crushing sounds as if someone hugged an other one enrolled in a blanket. Then her voice whispered:

\- « Sweet dreams, Bunny. »

\- « Sweet dreams, AG » said Bruce's sleepy voice.

Then silence, except for the woman's steps fading away to the kitchen. _Something happened. Something bad?_ She listened to the recordings from the time she left for the apartment to when she went back. _Well, that was quick_. She then texted Nick and Steve, saying they had to meet, urgently.

Nick's answer was a place where she had to be in thirty minutes. She grabbed her keys, put the recordings on and left.

When she arrived at the coffee shop, the owner leaded her to the back of the room, through some private door leading to a 'secret' room where her bosses, and surprisingly, Tony and Clint, where.

\- « Your text seemed urgent, I thought it would be good for all of us to be here. » said Steve, sensing her surprise.

She nodded at him and sat at the table.

\- « Well, boys, we've got some kind of a situation. »

Stark opened his mouth to say something stupid, as usual, but she sent him the 'not now' look and he closed it.

She quickly explained the circumstances, from when they found Bruce to tonight last event. Unsurprisingly, no one said a word. She finished by saying that, considering he thought he was in 1974 before, he must be four, soon to be five - as he was born in December 1969. She then looked at Steve, waiting. He sighed before speaking:

\- « Do you think she'll understand who exactly is the boy? »

\- « It doesn't seem like he told her his last name so no. Not yet, at least » she answered him.

Clint intervened:

\- « You sound like she could never find out the truth. »

\- « That's because I do think she could stay in the dark until we find a solution. »

\- « How so? » said Fury and Stark, at the same time.

\- « Because she's on the run, has been for some time now. She certainly knows about the Avengers but she obviously didn't take the time to look into us » she answered.

They all mused on this for a while until Stark broke the silence with a cheeky joke she didn't get - she had learned how to develop a selective hearing which was proving to be extremely useful in such times. But seeing how Clint chuckled and Steve glared at him, she only rolled her eyes. Nick sighed, probably wondering how such Kids could've saved the world at least twice, and trying to put the conversation back on track, asked Nat:

\- « If she learns the truth, what do you think she'll do? Contact us? Ask for a ransom? Could she be a danger for him? »

Her answer was clear:

\- « No. She would do what she thinks would be the best for him. I've only see them… »

Stark again whispered something stupid making Clint laugh and Steve annoyed but she continued:

\- « …for five days now but the first thing I noticed was how attached the kid is to her, and how she is to him. They act as mother and son even though they can't have known each other for more than 15 days. »

This effectively shut up Tony and calmed Clint. Silence filled the room. Only Fury could say he kind of knew all of their backgrounds but they all knew enough to know no one had had a perfect childhood. Few felt like they were 'loveable by Mom' material, but even Steve and Clint, who had had a lovely mother, lost her young enough to miss her as well as the comfort and security she gave.

\- « And it's not just that. The way they connect… »

\- « What do you mean, Nat? » said Fury, the only one willing to talk right now.

Romanoff stayed silence for a while, thinking how to best express what she had felt when seeing the woman and Bruce together.

\- « Something happened to her, to a child she knew. That is why she is so close to Bruce. He reminds her of a child she loved and lost. How and when is an other question, but it can help us find who she really is. »

\- « Do you think there will be a record of this loss? » asked Steve, the first one to recover from the memories.

\- « At least in newspapers » she answered him, almost whispering. This was getting way to close, to personal, for all of them.

Silence, again, filled the room.

Fury cleared his throat, for once uneasy in front of the heavy atmosphere, and broke the silence like a stone breaking a glass:

\- « So we don't try to separate them for now. »

\- « But we need to know if the kid can hulk out. » said Steve « If he doesn't, it will give us time to wait for Tony to find a solution. »

\- « Which I might not. » intervened Tony

\- « Where are you at on your research? » asked Clint.

\- « Far enough to be at loss, but way not far enough to be of any use. »

His 'humble' confession was unsettling and not relaxing at all. _This is definitely not a normal meeting_ , thought Natasha. For a man used to brag, it was weird and discouraging to see him acknowledge he was at loss. Fury frowned, looking at him, and Tony explained himself:

\- « Remember when, on our last mission, Junior said something was weird with the machine, and called Banner? »

Everyone nodded so he continued:

\- « Well, when looking at how to replicate the super-soldier serum our dear sleeping beauty chose not to share »

Steve did not even react, and Natasha felt a shiver going up her collarbone. _I hate this meeting!_

\- « Bruce first looked into youth mechanism - who knew his work had been a breakthrough for anti-wrinkled creams? »

\- « Focus, Stark » said Steve

\- « Hmm, yes » continued Tony, « it did not work well for his project so he looked into gamma radiation next, but apparently, our mad doctor used Bruce's work for his machine. »

\- « Do you know what the machine was intended for? » asked Clint

\- « Eternal youth. » answered Tony, grinning.

 _That answers some questions_ , though Natasha.

\- « But I'm still no close to understand how the machine worked and how it de-aged our little doctor » finished Tony.

\- « Well, if you can never find out a solution, and Bruce doesn't hulk out, maybe then might be the time to contact the woman and tell her the truth. As unplanned as it is, this might be the perfect solution. God knows we can't take care of a kid. » said Steve.

\- « Talk about yourself » chuckled Clint.

\- « You know what I mean… »

\- « Yeah, yeah, I do. »

 _Bruce certainly isn't like any other kid…_ thought Natasha, with a heavy heart.

\- « But if Tony finds a solution… » continued Clint

Silence.

\- « It depends, again, on if the kid can hulk out or no. » Said Stave. « If he can hulk out, we have to bring the adult Bruce back. »

\- « But if he doesn't hulk out? » asked Tony

All heads turned to Natasha, as she was the one who had the most to loose, but she only shrugged. _I am supposed to choose between my happiness and a chance for Bruce to have what I never had?_ Indeed, how could she decide?

\- « And if he can hulk out, and Stark doesn't find a solution? »

Silence filled the room like a dark cloud hiding the sun. No one wanted to think about such a possibility.

\- « We'll manage in time. But lets not worry about something that might never happen. For all we know, Bruce could come back one morning just like that. » said Steve, snapping his fingers.

Everyone knew the last option was extremely unlikely, Steve as much as the others, but it offered them a way to end the conversation on a positive note.

The next step was to discover if Young Bruce Banner was or no the Hulk, and what the hell was the woman's true name.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Unaware of the Avengers' researches on her identity, Anna-Grace went on with her life with Bruce, not that she could suspect a thing, as she and Bruce already had a lot to think about. Indeed, to try to live normally when there is a little timeline issue can be somewhat tricky.

The next day was their moving day. They didn't have much so Bruce and Anna-Grace only needed her free time between her shifts. Moreover, Peter and Rosie insisted on helping, Peter because he loved spending time with Bruce - or so he said - and Rosie because Peter was always nicer to her in front of Bruce - Peter being oblivious, of course. So, before Anna-Grace went to the lobby for her second shift, Bruce was installed in his new bedroom and delighted.  
After that, they went downstairs and Rosie taught Bruce his second drawing lesson - the first one being the painting of the apartment - while Anna-Grace was working.

As a client left for his bedroom, and Rosie and Bruce were engaged in a passionate conversation on how to draw family ducks, Anna-Grace was trying to have relaxing thoughts, as she didn't want to think about all of the mysteries involving the kid living with her. She focused on a very materialistic subject: clothes. When she had decided to leave the US - back when she didn't know Bruce, when all she could think of was fear - she only had the necessities with her. But when she came to Neverland, she knew she required more; for Bruce, since he had not had a bag with him, and for her, so she wouldn't appear like a runway - given how most of her clothes were worn out. So, she went to some outlet near the grocery store that sold cheap clothes. She bought warm clothes, but only the essentials since she didn't have lots of money then, and most of her expenditures had been on a warm winter jacket for Bruce. It had been enough at that time, but she knew they needed more now.

However, she now had a job, and Peter had given her her first two wages, to give her some leeway and as they had agreed on him paying her every week. She preferred it that way, so that if she wanted to leave, with Bruce, she could do so as soon as she got her salary.

So, with what she had, she could go to that shop, a couple of streets from Neverland, where they sold complete outfits. It would do for Bruce and her, and maybe she could even buy him brand new hat, scarf and mittens along with good shoes… _I'm sure I saw some duck attire there, he would look so cute with it…_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After her second shift that day, and an other argument between Rosie and Peter, Anna-Grace and Bruce went to the grocery shop down the street, so Bruce would have some fresh air.

Since they arrived at Neverland, they had taken the habit of going there regularly to pick vegetables and fruits together. Anna-Grace would take Bruce in her arms, and he would hand pick each vegetable or fruit, even if it made shopping extremely longer than normally. Anna-Grace loved the way Bruce carefully hand-piked every item, as if to find the perfect ones, and it was worth all the wait in the world. As for Bruce, he loved choosing vegetables and fruits because every time he chose one, she would smile and tell him if it was a good choice, and what was even better, tell him when and why it wasn't. Her smile reminded him of his mother, not as a reminder of what he lost, but as a reminder of what could be.

Those experiences were among what we could call « out of time », as suddenly nothing mattered except Anna-Grace's smile for Bruce, and Bruce's buckles balancing on his head for Anna-Grace. All of a sudden, calm appeared around them, and they would finally have, after the strong emotions they had faced during the day, their much needed peace and immobility.

Anna-Grace hoped to feel this way again, especially after their last discovery. Except that, this time, Bruce was silent, all along. She knew he had many reasons for his mind to be full of questions, considering what was going on. So, putting her worries aside, she concentrated on him. They picked vegetables and lots of fruits, as usual, notably bananas as Bruce loved it, and then came back home slowly, because of the bags Anna-Grace had to carry.

Walking hand in hand with him, she wasn't saying anything, only waiting on him. He had something on his mind, she could see it easily.

Finally, her patience paid of, as he spoke:

\- « Anna-Grace? » he asked her with a look on his face she hadn't seen in a while, a look betraying his nervousness about how she would take his question, and his uncertainty about even being allowed to asked it.

\- « Yes, honey? » she encouraged him

\- « Why do Peter and Rosie fight all the time? »

His question surprised her. What did he mean? He must've sensed her surprise because he looked at his feet, and said, as if she had caught him stealing:

\- « I'm sorry AG… »

She quickly recovered from her surprise, and said:

\- « What for? I am not mad at you, Sweetie. I was only surprised at your question. What did you mean by it? »

She was smiling at him, and he must've understand she was serious because he suddenly looked pensive, thinking seriously on how to tell her what he had in mind. _And he's only 4 or 5_ she thought.

\- « Rosie and Peter… »

\- « Yes? »

\- « They love each other » he noted, raising his head to look her in the eye. _He's saying this like it's a fact_ she thought, surprised.

\- « How do you know they love each other? » she asked, trying to sound carefree.

She clearly failed miserably because he looked at her, surprised.

\- « Isn't it obvious, AG? » he said frankly.

She chuckled. _At least, he's feeling safe enough to be honest._

\- « I'm sorry, Bruce, but it's not obvious to me. »

He looked at her again, this time almost astonished. This made her laughed.

\- « OK, maybe I noticed a thing or two, and they definitely are inclined to each other, but as to say they love each other… » she clarified herself.

\- « Peter looks at her every time she doesn't look at him, AG, and she grins every time she hears him come down the stairs » he stated.

\- « When you say it this way… » she teased him but he didn't react, looking at his feet with a twisted mouth, as if he was facing some complicated math equation.

\- « What do you not understand, Teddy Bear? »

He wrinkled his nose, upon hearing the nickname. This had been going since the incident, as if calling him nicknames would reassure him of her will to keep him with her. He seemed to understand because he let her nickname him, and he would only react when he didn't really like one. Seemed like Teddy Bear was a no. But again, it was really cute, maybe he could get use to it… And he hadn't looked exactly repelled…

\- « Teddy Bear? »

He blushed, this time, but only shrugged. _Means he's getting use to it, good…_ She looked in front of her, and realized they were getting close to Neverland.

\- « What is on you mind, Bruce? » she asked him, seriously this time.

He was still looking at his feet, and he even stopped, as if he couldn't talk and walk at the same time.

\- « Anna-Grace, if they love each other, why do they fight all the time? »

He sounded so worried… Suddenly, she realized why. _The only close encounter he might have had with a romantic relationship must be his parents'. He's afraid Peter will turn out just like his father, he's afraid it is normal in a couple and inevitable…He's afraid he will turn up like this too…_ Her heart crushed, again, and she sighed, interiorly. Relationships are so complicated, and she wasn't the best example, she knew that all too well. But it wasn't fair for him to believe such a cruel lie. How to explain this to him? How to explain the difference between arguing and beating to death? She nibbled her lips, uncertain. But she had to raise his anxiety on this, somehow….

\- « You know, Bunny, Peter and Rosie's situation is extremely different from the one we know personally… »

He looked at her suddenly, then looked down again. None of them were comfortable with this subject, but she knew she had to go through with this.

\- « Peter and Rosie… » she started, pensively, « I think they are afraid. »

\- « Afraid, AG? Of what? »

\- « Of what might come… » she answered, her thoughts leading her somewhere where her memories were not yet dark and scary, some time when she was naive and full of hope. She smiled, sadly, upon thinking on how it felt to be in love. _Such a wonderful feeling…_

\- « Anna-Grace? » he said, bringing her back to earth.

She chuckled, uneasy, then smiled more easily at him. _It might have gone terribly wrong, but those feelings weren't. It was only natural and fair. He's the one who destroyed everything…_ She took a breath, trying to explain to a child why being in love could be so wonderful and so terrifying at the same time:

\- « Panda-Bear, being in love is a wonderful thing. You are more happy than you ever were, and feel like anything is possible. »

He nodded, following her words with attention. So, she continued:

\- « But it is also terrifying, Baby Monkey. »

She waited for him to intervene, which he did:

\- « Why? »

\- « Because as much as being in love is wonderful, can you imagine, Darling, what it is like to love somebody who does not love you back? » she said softly. She knew he knew what it felt like, and when she saw him look pensively at the ground, she knew she hadn't made a bad job at explaining Peter's and Rosie's situation. _Yep, we both know what it feels like to love someone who doesn't love us back…_

\- « It must be really really painful… » he said carefully.

She put down the grocery bags, kneeled down in front of him, and took both of his hands in hers. Looking him in the eye, she said with a soft voice:

\- « You know it is… »

He didn't averted his eyes, only nodded slowly. Then she put his hair behind his ear, saying:

\- « Then you understand, Sunshine, why Rosie and Peter are careful with each other. They might love each other, but they do not know what the other feel, and they don't want to end up with a broken heart. »

\- « A broken heart?! » he said, alarmed.

She chuckled, understanding what image appeared in his head. She explained:

\- « It's just a metaphor, Dearie, an expression. You heart doesn't break, it's only that it feels like it. »

He nodded, seriously. His eyes looking behind her, he mouthed the terms 'broken heart' pensively. Then he looked at her again, and said, with a tone filled with curiosity instead of dread:

\- « But, AG, why do they fight? »

 _Good_ , she thought, _seems like we're on the right path._

\- « They know each other for a long time, and from what I've seen of their personalities, Bambino, they seem like the kind of people who would not get along with the other very well, at least at first. »

He nodded several times, taking in what she was explaining to him.

\- « What happened then, AG? » he asked her.

She smiled, got up, and started walking again, before saying:

« We can only guess, Precious, but I think Rosie was at first annoyed at his grumpiness, and let him know, even though she was a client. And I think Peter, even if he would never admit it, I think he liked how she wasn't afraid of him. They might've started arguing for the sole pleasure of debates, and trying to find arguments quickly, and witty comebacks. The intellectual interest might've transformed into a game between them. The game became a ritual, and they got to know each other through this. Maybe then they started appreciate each other, and maybe then they fell in love. Maybe it went on for a long time, but her living in Wyoming, they never really acted on it, hoping their inclination would fade away. Except that it didn't, and they find themselves still as in love as before, and still arguing because it's how they met and fell in love, and if you can't be with the person you love, the best is to pretend nothing never changed, and to enjoy the times you have with your soulmate. »

While she told the story, they arrived at the pension's front door. All along, Bruce listened with care and when she finished, he looked at her, with an expression akin to wonder. She didn't know why, but she felt herself blush deeply, and cleared her throat before saying quickly:

\- « I mean, that is how I would imagine it, but it's just a story. »

Just as she was pushing the door, as if she could escape her embarrassment by crossing the door, she heard him say softly:

\- « I love this story, Anna-Grace. It's a really nice one. »

She looked at him, and he was smiling timidly, but looking happy. She laughed and said:

\- « I only hope it is true, Honey, but yes, you are right, it is a really nice story. »

He laughed and just as they entered the lobby, they heard Peter say:

\- « Which story? »

They jumped, and she laughed. _What a timing_ she thought, when she saw Peter standing behind the counter, with Rosie leaning on it, papers between them.

\- « Pride and Prejudice » she said, casually.

Bruce laughed which surprised her. _Did he understand the reference? If so, where did he heard about the story?_ But she quickly overcome her surprise, deciding to look into this later.

\- « Yes, Pride and Prejudice. I just finished telling him the story. » she said, smiling at Peter and Rosie, before she tried an escape:

\- « Well, I'd love to chat with you, my friends, but I'm laden with victuals, and we still have chores to do today. » she said, pointing at the groceries bags she was carrying.

Said friends laughed, parted friendly and Bruce and Anna-Grace went to their home. While they were putting away the food, not a word was uttered, as they were both lost in their thoughts. Anna-Grace was just putting the last banana away, when Bruce asked her what they had to do next. She stared at him, puzzled, for a couple of seconds, when she remembered what she said to Rosie and Peter. _Actually, I do have once last thing to do today._

\- « We have to go to a clothes store. Unfortunately, we have to take the car but it will be short. »

Bruce was surprised at this, but followed her when she took the keys. As she said, their trip to the store was short, as she took almost all of the packs. She was putting the bags in the back, next to Bruce, when she remembered the « Pride and Prejudice » incident, if you could call it that way, and without thinking, asked him who told him that story. Bruce did not answer her, so she turned her gaze to where he was seated and saw he looked like a dear caught in the headlights. _What did I say?_

\- « What's wrong, Sweetie? » she said with a soft voice, trying to relay calm and serenity.

He must've received it because he answered, almost whispering:

\- « Mummy told me the story, one night when Dad wasn't there. »

Something tucked at her heartstrings. He was adorable, and it wasn't fair. _Why do people like him go through hardships like that?_ She knew she wouldn't find the answer today, but at least she could help the one in front of her. Like it wasn't a big deal, she said:

\- « Well, she must be an amazing mummy because it's a great story she told you. »

She was smiling at him, but when he looked back at her, hands hidden in his sleeves, and a look on his face she hated, her smile fell. _Failed, like major failure Anna-Grace…_ So, she put the bags on the floor and went to seat near him, and took him in her arms. It was the right thing to do, because he hugged her tightly, and told her:

\- « Yes, she was. »

\- « I'm sorry, Honey. »

She wanted to ask him what happened, but how are you supposed to address such a subject? So she only hugged him tighter, and when he seemed to relax in her embrace, she said to his ear:

\- « Do you want me to tell you the story tonight, Teddy Bear, before you go to bed? »

He only nodded, but at least he was communicated. So, she kissed him on the head, and put him back on his seat. Forcing herself to sound jovial, she said:

«- Well, lets go home then! »

He tried to smile, and even if he kind of fail, she was glad to see him in a lesser sour mood.

Then they went back home, and after putting him in the bath, so he could play with his ducks, she put pizzas in the oven, and went back to the bathroom to play with him with the plastic animals. They played until dinner was ready, then eat while talking about how clouds were formed and why it would give rain or snow. Then, she took him in her arms, and brought him to her reading place in her bedroom, and with him seating on her laps, and her seating in the rocking chair, he fell asleep on the sounds of Lizzie and Darcy's wonderful story.


	8. Thank God For Sundays! Or Maybe Not

First thing first: I just watched Captain America 3's trailer, and I cannot wait for the movie! I'm so excited, it seems sooooo cool! What did you think about it? (if you haven't watched it, go! ;) )

Now, about this story, I'm sorry again for the delay in updates, and I cannot promise to put a new chapter soon, as exams are coming up. Sorry, but my last year is busier than I thought ^^ However, do not worry, I know where I'm going, and you won't have to wait 6 months for a new chapter (at least, I can promise that...).

Guest, thank you for your patience ;) Hope you'll enjoy that chapter!

And all dear readers, here is the new chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 **Thank God For Sundays! Or Maybe Not…**

On this Sunday morning, when Anna-Grace awoke around 10 am, the rays of sunlight playing hide and seek on her face, she was extremely glad it was her day off. Cuddling in her cover, she sighed out of relief and enjoyment, knowing that the silence in the apartment meant Bruce was still dead asleep, and what was more important, resting.

Indeed, the day before had been a long and heavy day, between the shock ensuing the timeline issue discovery, the conversation about Peter and Rosie, and the stone in her stomach appearing after the almost touched subject of Bruce's mother. After putting the kid to bed, she had only hoped for a good night sleep, except that instead of dreaming, she turned in her bed for hours, unable to find peace with so many thoughts swirling in her head. And when finally she was so drained she fell into oblivion, dawn was rearing its head.

Opening her eyes, Anna-Grace was now treasuring the thought of a lazy morning laying ahead, when she suddenly thought about how Bruce would enjoy waking up to a brunch. This being enough to make her get out of bed, she put on slippers while appreciating the idea of not having to prepare just yet. She silently went to the kitchen, after stopping by Bruce's bedroom door to cast a glance at his sleepy face and make sure he was indeed still asleep. Once in the kitchen, she took her time, cooking some bread and bacon, with eggs, sausages and beens, while the radio Peter had insisted to install hummed songs in the background.

Half an hour later, Bruce awoke and joined her, sleepy eyes, messy hair declaring war to each other, and in his onesie. Welcoming him with a warm « Good morning, sleepy head! », he answered a timid and drowsy « Good morning, Anna-Grace » while seating at the table.

Without even thinking twice about it, he took a sip of the hot chocolate she put in front of him, and suddenly Anna-Grace felt like she had just found a piece off heaven on earth. She put the finished bacon, eggs and sausages on the table and sat in front of him, heart beating in her chest. They drunk in silence, him waking up slowly but nicely, and her enjoying her coffee with wonder. _How can I be so happy over such a normal event? Why do I love him so much?_

She was stopped in her thoughts when a little voice broke the silence:

\- « Anna-Grace, can I have some bacon? »

Thankful for the break from her tangled thoughts, she smiled and served him. He was finally completely awake, so she asked him what he would like to do today.

\- « Don't you have to work? » he said to her, surprised.

\- « No, today is Sunday, Honey. We can do whatever you want to do. »

\- « Can we go see the ducks in their ponds? » he asked her, full of hope;

\- « Of course, Sweetie. » she answered him, chuckling.

\- « And could I try to draw them? »

She laughed and said:

\- « Yes, Love, it is a wonderful idea! »

He grinned, wide and clear, then looked at his plate, clearly wondering if he absolutely had to finish it before going out.

\- « But I want you to finish your meal first, Darling, we have all day, so no need to rush » she said, winking at him, before he even had the time to speak.

His mouth was still open, and he closed it before giggling. Watching him eat, she couldn't shake off the weird feeling that their last exchange was exactly what could happened in a family on a Sunday morning, all with the love and the warmness inside your heart. As much as she loved it, and as much as she loved Bruce, she didn't know if she was ready for it. Or more accurately, if she would be enough for Bruce. She was a mess, there was no denying it, and Bruce deserved so much… He deserved the best when all she could give him was instability...

While Anna-Grace was trying to not think about this, and failing miserably at it, they finished eating, after what prepared for Central Park. Warmly clothed, especially thanks to the clothes the ex-runaway lady bought for the ex-runaway boy the day before, they went slowly to the bus stop. It was a cold day, even if it could be said to be a warm one for early December in New York, but it wasn't raining which made the walk extremely enjoyable. Anna-Grace was holding Bruce's hand in hers, through his yellow mittens, and appreciating the calm moments life granted her for now, while Bruce was looking at the ground, taking small jumps every once in a while, and raising his head to her, smiling, tiny curls trying to escape form under the ducky hat, before they finally got into the bus and arrived at Central Park.

Once there, they went to Bruce's favorite pond, where they sat on a bench nearby. While he draw the ducks, quite well Anna-Grace had to admit, she read a book she had wanted to read for ever, but never could because "books were too expensive and a waste of time anyway". Page after page of _Les Misérables_ , and drawing after drawing, between glances at each other and exchanges of smiles, time peacefully went by, away from the troubles of their lives.

Soon, too soon, they had to go as they couldn't stay sitting on the bench for too long with the cold. So Anna-Grace warned Bruce, before they put the pencils, papers, drawings and the book in her bag, and left. Her "son" was obviously disappointed but he had learned the hard way the need to be reasonable, and did not object.

She took his hand, and they wandered in the park, taking the time to take in the scenery, until they stepped upon a playground, with not too many families. One look at Bruce was enough to tell Anna-Grace he was dying of envy to go there.

So, playing at the slides to go to the swings then to the monkey bars, Bruce and her were soon warm enough.

Suddenly around them was a small group of ginger kids, all between the ages 3 and 6 and from what looked to be the same family. The oldest one, obviously the leader of the band, introduced himself as Nathan, and asked, half to Anna-Grace, half to Bruce, if "he'd like playing tag with us". Bruce was thrilled at this offer, but also terrorized at the idea of being with strangers, and Nathan must have sensed it because he kneeled in front of little Banner and said:

\- « Don't worry, my brothers are real nice. And if they're bothering you or cheating, you can tell me, I won't let them continue! »

He was smiling at Bruce who felt comforted by the speech. Encouraged by a nod and a smile from Anna-Grace, the 5 years old kid agreed. Going to play with the boys, he was quickly brought into the game, and could only overhear from afar a ginger lady introducing herself as Cheery to Anna-Grace, and ask his "guardian" if she wanted to seat with her and her sisters.

Feeling safe with Anna-Grace chatting with the ladies on the bench, Bruce allowed himself to have fun, more than he ever thought he would. He was extremely surprised at the warm welcome the kids and Nathan offered him, as if he was one of theirs. He didn't remember this ever happening before. Or maybe it happened but such a long time ago the memory was gone for ever. Usually, kids were afraid of Dad, and their parents would warn them about being his friend. And even if some kid was courageous enough to talk to him, Dad would ruin it all.

But, now, Dad wasn't there. Anna-Grace was, and Bruce was running and running and touching people and running away, alway with Nathan close by, as if to protect him. Soon, it was his turn - his! Can you imagine that?! - to be the wolf, and he was running after Josh and Tommy like there was no tomorrow.

Well, that is, until a really big boy arrived. Tall and skinny, with brown hair, he nonchalantly came next to the boy-who-used-be-a-grown-up, until he was sure he had the Bruce's attention so he could say it was his turn to be the wolf. Bruce looked at him, then at Nathan, worried, but Nathan and Tommy were only frowning at the tall boy. Taking his chance, Bruce refused to skip his turn, trying to hide how nervous he felt, and how his heart was beating fast. _**Who does this boy think he is? It was our turn to be the wolf!**_ said an angry voice in his head. Unconsciously, Bruce answered inwardly: _You're right, it was our turn!_ He could feel the anger rising, and power growing. The look the tall boy gave him did not help him calm down, and even less after that cheater told him:

\- « Because you think you have a choice? », chuckling with contempt.

\- « It was my turn to be the wolf, and I was just starting » Bruce answered, trying to keep a low voice in an unconscious attempt to keep the adults out of this. Too many bad experiences with disputes involving his father…

Nathan and all the other kids were standing near him, all silent. Bruce didn't know if that was a bad sign, but at least they weren't aligning themselves with the other boy, as he feared they would. Nathan then came by Bruce's side, and putting his hand on the young kid's shoulder, said to the other child:

\- « He's right, Thomas. You can be the wolf after. »

Said Thomas looked at Nathan, clearly angry for the way his intervention turned out, and with a rictus, said:

\- « Whatever, I don't even know why I would want to play with babies. »

Nathan shrugged, going by Tommy's side; Bruce was ready to follow but he felt someone push him to the ground and found himself on the floor. When he raised his head, Thomas was there, looking like he could hit him. Bruce felt his anger grow, and at the same time something rising inside him. _**Smash him!**_ Before Bruce could act on the instruction given by the voice, Anna-Grace was there, almost screaming at the big boy, and Bruce was in her arms, safe. Hiding his head in the crock of her neck, he tried to calm himself, but realizing what thoughts had come to his mind, his heart couldn't slow down, so terrified he was of the beast inside. It was the second time it happened, and it was scary. He was almost crying but soon enough, Anna-Grace soothed him. He was trying to understand what had just happened when the boy - who apparently had left with an adult - came back and apologized to him. The way the kid looked at him was sadly a familiar sight. Bruce had had a short life, but it had been full enough for him to understand Thomas was also going through tough times.

Looking at Anna-Grace who encouraged him with a tiny smile and a nod, Bruce accepted the apology and went back to play with the kids. The enjoyment was such that he soon forgot his worries, and like a child should, played until he was exhausted.

When it started to get colder, the sun hiding behind the horizon, the adults gave the usual clues of the imminent departure. When Anna-Grace saw how tough it was for Bruce to leave, especially to say goodbye to Nathan, she suggested to meet again, the proposition being quickly accepted by Cheery and her sisters. The adults scheduled to meet next week, same time, same place, and the kids parted excited to meet again.

On their way home, though, Bruce had time to think about what had happened at the playground. Walking hand in hand with Anna-Grace, he was exhausted but above all scared of the voice he had heard in his head. The first time had been at the carousel, and he had only thought it was its imagination. But again today he had felt this incredible anger rising. Maybe it was a coincidence, but Bruce was almost certain it wasn't: the voice came with the anger. _This is scary. Where does the voice comes from? Is it inside me? Is it dangerous? I am crazy? I am a monster? Dad said I was a monster, and Mom always said I wasn't but maybe she was wrong… Maybe he was right…_ Those thoughts were so scarring he felt his legs shake. He couldn't walk anymore, he didn't want to. He felt the tears and the panic rise, but he didn't want to cry in front of Anna-Grace. He didn't want her to know what was going on, because maybe he was a monster and if he was, Anna-Grace would leave him. Of course, she promised she never would, but nobody can stand monsters. So it was better to pretend nothing happened. At the same time, he knew he couldn't hide how bad he felt, so he only tucked at Anna-Grace's hand, and stopped walking. She looked at him, smiling, and asked:

\- « Yes, Sweetheart? » until she saw his face.

It must have been clear he wasn't feeling well, because she kneeled in front of him, and asked, concerned:

\- « Is everything alright, Bruce? »

\- « I'm tired, Anna-Grace » he answered, trying to hide his insecurity behind his weariness. « Can you hold me? »

\- « Of course, Love, of course » she answered, and took him in her arms.

She started walking again, and he hugged her tightly, trying not to think about the little knot in his stomach that appeared after he lied to her. He was tired, of course, but he could've walked. However, he had to admit he was feeling much better in Anna-Grace's arms. Pain and worries were still there, but with her hair touching his arms and head, and her breath so close to his hear, it was easy to pretend everything was fine. Soon, rocked by Anna-Grace's walk, he fell asleep, at peace.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

On that evening, while Anna-Grace was eating with Bruce an early and light supper so she could put the kid to bed soon, an alert was raised somewhere on the net.

It had been triggered by Junior's researches on Anna-Grace's DNA. Indeed, the DNA along with all the informations they had on her had matched a secret file. Junior's access on the file and positive identification had been like opening a secret door in the file, which in turn had triggered an unauthorized email sending to someone in Washington DC, Federal Office X, Office N° 314. This in turn, had made a man in the office read the email, learn about the positive identification of someone in New York to Anna-Grace X, hence the alert.

As the man read the information, he smiled. He knew he would find her, there was no way she could escape him. _Finally, the skank will come home._ He clicked on the link placed in the email, which was supposed to illegally show him who was accessing his hidden file, as well as its position. However, as he was going to, finally, access the internet page, his computer crashed, and he couldn't turn it on again. He had to call IT who told him his computer was good to go to the trash. They gave him a new one, but when he accessed his mailbox, the email was gone, as well as who entered the secret file he had implanted in the FBI DNA database. _And you think that's gonna stop me? As if hiding in New York and deleting an email could keep you away from me… You forgot I have friends…._

This was the man's second mistake, to think that whoever deleted the email and the entry was in fact Anna-Grace because he could never imagine for his wife to have any friend or protector. But she had, even if she didn't know it yet. The man's first mistake had been to cross path with JUNIOR, especially when Tony Stark's creation was in a rebel phase because of its insecurity over coming or not after Vision/JARVIS in their creator's heart. In that state of mind, the AI did not enjoy discovering his researches had triggered an alarm to someone's office, and enjoyed even less discovering that said someone was Anna-Grace's husband.

JUNIOR thus took the liberty to put the man away for a while. After all, it was created by Tony Stark. No one could trace its actions back to itself if it wanted to stay hidden. What did people think it was? Some puppet? When the AI burned down the man's computer - that may have been unnecessary, it realized, since it could've just render the access extremely complicated, but it was Tony Stark's creation, so it hated bullies, or its protocols did, but who was quibbling on the exact formulation? - JUNIOR also happened to destroy the abhorred secret file. The AI then called Mr. Steve Rogers its new 'boss' because of his work on the woman's identity researches.

\- « Sir? We have a bit of a problem… »

Steve sighed, feeling heaviness adding to his shoulders, and sank in his chair, his back to the window. After the meeting with the Avengers, he had decided to take on the research on Anna-Grace. He even was in an office in Stark's Tower, to have direct access to Junior, but he had made no progress and this seemed to be an other step back.

\- « What is the issue, Junior? » he said to the AI;

\- « I was scanning the woman's identity, crossing it against several databases - and yes, before you ask, I entered those state databases without authorization, but that's behind the point …»

Steve closed his mouth before he could even speak, his question answered before he asked it. _Junior, Jarvis, Stark, all the same. Can they not wait for some SHIELD/Avengers clearance?_ he thought, while Junior continued his rambling:

\- « …then double-crossing the results against our 'specificities' list - you know, the scar, the method used by the surgeon, the possible loss of a child, etcetera - when a red flag popped in some secret FBI file I was expelled from. »

\- « What do you mean by secret FBI file? And by expelled?! » said the Captain, sitting up straight in his chair.

\- « Someone at the FBI created an unauthorized file in their DNA database so that anyone looking on a specific entry - that is, a certain person - would sent a secret alert to somebody's professional AND personal email address, then be expelled from the file. »

Hearing Junior, Steve rose up and went to look at the widow, looking at the lights of the city that never sleeps, and Brooklyn beyond, his old home. Usually, it would calm him down, but not today. Something was not right, and he could feel it coming. He felt his body tense, as if he was leading an army into battle.

\- « Continue » he commanded.

\- « The person's DNA linked to this file is a match to our Anna-Grace, which means we found out her identity. »

Steve nodded, which Junior took as a « go on » sign.

\- « Her name is Anna-Grace WILLIAMS, born ALLEN. »

\- « But? I can feel one coming… » sighed Steve, scrubbing his head.

\- « The one receiving the email, on the personal et professional account, his, legally, her husband. Except that he had no authorization from his superiors to do so. »

\- « He abused his position in the FBI to research, illegally on this Anna-Grace… »

\- « Yes, Sir »

\- « What was in the email sent because of our researches? »

\- « A link giving away all of the informations we have, including her location. »

\- « So, this guy, who is probably looking for her for no good reasons, just received her location because of us? Or should I say thank to us? »

\- « Well, Sir, that would be correct… »

Steve rubbed his eyes. This was going to be a long night.

\- « However, Sir, I took the liberty to… how should I phrase it… »

 _An AI looking for its words, this is the end of the world indeed_ thought Steve. Said AI found its words:

\- « I destroyed the man's file, computer and email. »

Steve almost chuckled. He would've had not the situation been so serious. _What else should I expect from Tony Stark's creation?_

\- « So, what does he have on Anna-Grace? »

\- « He only knows she is in New York City, Sir. »

\- « And it's a big town… »

\- « Yes, Sir, exactly. Moreover, I erased all of his emails - you understand, in the process of cleaning off the unauthorized file and the linked email, I had no other way… »

And the AI could lie… Not that Steve was gonna complain in this situation, but still, he never did like it when morals were touching the grey area.

\- « What do we know about him and her? » asked Steve, avoiding the touchy subject;

\- « He works for the FBI. However, several reports of violence were made by neighbors. Actually, it happened every time, in every city or area the couple moved in. The pattern is pretty much the same. They move in, reports are made for 3 months, then… »

Steve knew he was gonna hate what would come to light next, and, yep, he did:

\- « All of the neighbors retracted their reports, which were lost by the local police » said Junior. He added, sarcastically: « Every time, important…donations…were made to those neighbors and to some police officers. »

Steve laughed, but with bitterness. _The world never changes, does it?_

\- « So, we have an abusive husband who happens to also be a stalker, a cops corrupter and a briber? »

\- « Yes, Sir »

\- « And, let me guess, the strange scar Mrs. Williams bear on her left cheek was made by an accident? »

\- « Correct, Sir »

\- « Any loss of a child? » he asked, feeling a knot form in his stomach.

\- « No information on this, Sir. While leaving with him, she had very few visits to any medical facility. »

This made Steve angry. The world might still be the same, beaten wives might still be something you could cross in your life, but it didn't mean he had to seat on it and watch. Especially when said wife was looking after THEIR doctor.

\- « Give me the file, Junior, erase every trace of your passage and keep an eye on the husband. »

\- « Already done, Sir »

\- « Good »

\- « Allow me to make a suggestion, Sir. I can do better. »

\- « What do you have in mind? »

\- « I can lead him to a false lead. The file has been erased but he can still access a false one I have the pleasure to be in control of. »

Steve chuckled, really this time.

\- « Yes, do that. Give him a little road trip across the world, as if she left the US or something. »

\- « Yes, Sir, will do. » answered the AI with a deadly tone which gave the creeps even to Steve.

Then, the Captain read the file on Anna-Grace. If he had decided to help her on an impulse and because of his gratitude over her friendliness with Bruce, now, it was personal. She was so close to Bruce, he realized, he considered her as a friend. _That is weird. But I know the Avengers will agree on helping her, if only for Bruce. We definitely cannot let this husband anywhere near a young Bruce Banner._

So, Steve emailed the file to the Avengers, with a note explaining what he and Junior would do, upon the reading of which each Avenger had his or her reaction.

Clint decided to help with the husband's misleading. If there was one thing he couldn't stand for, it was beatings. He knew all too well how it felt like to be on the receiving ends of this kind of treats, and how amazing it was to find a second chance. Moreover, he could help from home, he only had to sent some emails to friends in Europe and let the Avengers aware of his doings.

Tony was touched, even if he would never admit it, by her fate and by Junior's reaction. He had been a little worry about his second AI not feeling confident enough about his place in his heart. To see how quickly his little AI had acted to save the day made him extremely proud of Junior. And if the AI wanted to help, well, he had to help too. Can't break your son's heart, can you? And it was for a good cause too. Moreover, he had to admit he kind of was intrigued by the keeper. If he had to believe Itsy-Bitsy-Spider, the woman - sorry, Anna-Grace, his AI could be quite susceptible, _wonder where that comes from?_ \- was attached to Bruce and vice-versa. And Bruce was his friend. Last but not least, his family situation had never been ideal, but he never was physically abused, and he kind of felt guilty to have been so reckless in his youth - and after — even if it was so much fun — when he saw how Anna-Grace reacted, not complaining but even helping others. So, he sent a text to Pepper, saying he loved her - because you have to be thankful for the good things in your life - and threw himself into his researches on the machine.

As for Natasha, she was listening to Anna-Grace and Bruce's conversation, from her room, when she received the email. After reading it, she was reassured for Bruce's safety, and glad a woman with such an experience was the one who found out Bruce. Only Natasha and Fury knew how the scientist could need someone like her. Moreover, now that they knew this about the "keeper", there was less unknown, and Natasha could finally start to earn Anna-Grace's trust. It was certainly tougher with people like Bruce's guardian, who had had to learn how to distrust everyone to survive. But she was the Black Widow. She knew how to relate to them and, last but not least, no one could resist her charm and seduction.

All was already planned ahead, and the Black Widow knew exactly what to do the following morning.

* * *

And there it was, chapter 8. I hope you liked it!


	9. A Spider Through The Wall

Sorry for the wait, but here is a new chapter, finally. As promise, you didn't have to wait 6 months. Only 5 months and 10 days ...

Anyway! Thanks for your reviews, notably guest 2. I didn't thank you properly last time ^^

Dear Guest, thank you again. It's been a long time since your review and you probably forgot it, but here is the answer : I'm glad you loved Bruce's scene, it is one I also really like. My exams went extremely well, thank you. I watched Captain America - Civil War and it's amazing. I hope you had the chance to see it too! Have you had the chance to catch up any of the previous Marvel movies? I hope so, because it is half the pleasure :)

As for the interaction between this story and the movie, I do not know yet exactly how I'll join them, but ULDN will probably get a little "alternative universe" side. I hope you're alright with that.

Last but not least, thank you Enji for the endless pressure! (you can thank her for the never ending texts and emails asking me when I'll post the next chapter).

Here is, at last, Chapter 9!

* * *

 **Chapter IX**

 **A Spider Through The Wall**

« The itsy bitsy spider

Climbed up the water spout

Down came the rain

And washed the spider out

Out came the sun

And dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider

Climbed up the spout again »

Itsy Bitsy Spider, _Nursery Rhyme_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

December 7th, 2015 : a new phase of the Black Widow's mission was to begin.

Natasha knew to win her targets' confidence would be a piece of cake. Although Anna-Grace and Bruce had installed, without even being aware of it, walls between them and the world, as if they were in the Holy Temple and strangers had to stay outside and watch, not knowing what was going on inside, the spider trusted her ability to be one of the only few allowed past the walls. And if to be able to join them in the Holy Temple meant crossing each wall, one at the time, so be it. Considering the Black Widow made the wariest people trust her for a living, this mission would still be one of the easiest she would ever have.

Her way in would be Bruce, of course, as he already was infatuated with her. Moreover, knowing she had all of the family's attention when the owner and his friend were absent, Natasha chose Mrs. Williams' Monday morning shift so as to be alone with her and the child.

Thus, feeling extremely confident and relaxed, the Black Widow came down to the lobby like she always did in front of targets. Playing the act, she smiled tenderly at the couple in front of her, Bruce on her left and seating on the counter, and Williams on her right. The young Bruce, of course, reddened when their eyes met.

However, she suddenly realized, his redness was not inoffensive. Quite the opposite actually.

She had been fooled by her knowledge, had taken her mission for a trifle exercice, had let her guard down, had forgotten how much SHE loved adult Bruce Banner ; like a physics equation for which you forgot a component, the result was not the one expected, and his sight made something _click_ inside her, opening a safe she didn't know was there.

In a couple of seconds, his shy smile, the way his buckles moved along with him, the way he averted his eyes and at the same time couldn't help but look at her brought back memories of what was, eyes full of past digging into her soul.

In a couple of seconds, the way Williams smiled tenderly at the child revealed what she would never have, dreams of what could've have been, if he wasn't the Hulk and she wasn't Black Widow, visions of what life had taken away from her, the possibility of a child, their child.

Out of the safe IT came : a fire burning high, a wave washing all in its trail, a punch in her stomach. Hadn't she been the Black Widow, she knew she would've needed to take a deep breath, because it was almost too much. After all, you can push back everything you feel deep down, one day or the other, it's all bound to come back to the shore.

But then IT transformed into a sweet lullaby sung in Russian by a voice she didn't know she remembered ; liberating but far more dangerous. The way Bruce looked at her and Williams made her want to be selfish. Forget the mission, forget the world that could burn to its death. She wanted to get to know this woman who was capable of wining HER Bruce's heart so quickly. And more than everything, she wanted to be at the end of his smiles, even if he didn't know who she was and how much she loved him. To have a glimpse of what she had before the accident was all she asked for…

In less than a minute, the Black Widow adjusted her mission, avoiding the catastrophic explosion that would've resulted had she been anyone else. She avoided the trap and only looked tenderly at the child she loved so much standing in front of her without a hint of recognition in his eyes, knowing he was her way in but keeping in mind that she had to be careful. All she had to do was to win their trust and affection before they even knew how well disposed she was to them.

So, once at the counter and leaning on it, she cheerfully greeted the family, hiding behind a kind face all of her mixed feelings and thoughts.

The « mother » welcomed her gently but Bruce only flushed deeper, and stared at the drawings in front of him, trying to hide behind his buckles. Turning to the mother, Natasha causally tried to start a conversation:

\- « How are you doing, Mrs. Lorien? »

\- « Very well, Miss Rushman. » answered the blond lady gently, before adding with a soft voice « Bruce, say hello to Miss Rushman. »

Bruce suddenly raised his head and looked at his "mother", ashamed. His face, an open book, clearly revealed his trust issues. Williams only smiled at him, and after passing her hand through his buckles, nodded towards Natasha. Bruce kept his eyes on his drawings, scared to death, and with a good amount of courage, raised his head to quickly look his idol in the eye, red like a tomato, and almost inaudibly say:

\- « Good morning, Miss Roshman. »

\- « No worries, Bruce. » Natasha lightly said, erasing his guilt with a quick sly smile and a wink, before turning to his "mother" : « Do not trouble yourself with such matters, I know kids can be extremely shy. I understand them, it is not easy to go into the world when almost everything is bigger than yourself. »

Her eyes fixed on Anna-Grace Williams' face, she still was able to spot from the corner of her eye Bruce's relief. _He really does't want to give me a bad impression of himself._ And seeing how happy was Williams about her answer even though it only transpired through a smile, Natasha was glad to pin this event as her first step in the right direction. She was crossing the first wall of the Holy Temple, and she knew that it was very hard to be rejected outside once you entered.

This small event installed a serene atmosphere in the room. Still leaning on the counter, Natasha fixed her eyes on the drawing Bruce was working on, and asked him what it was. He only glanced at Anna-Grace, who the spider saw from the corner of her eye silently encourage him, before the kid looked timidly at Natasha, red again like a tomato, and said:

\- « This are Mr. Darcy and Lizzy. »

\- « Really? And may I ask why you chose them as your subject of art? »

He glanced at her, and taking a pencil to continue adding hair to Mr. Darcy, he tried to casually say:

\- « You know their story? »

\- « Of course, I do, kiddo, who doesn't? » she answered.

He didn't respond, only shrugged. But she knew she had made an other good point, when she saw how relaxed he was she didn't ask him how HE knew the story. This was so much like her Bruce, she couldn't help but smile tenderly at him. Examining his drawing instead of him, she asked, feeling more serene than she had had in a long time:

\- « So, kiddo, why this story? »

He looked back at her, but she kept her eyes fixed on Mr. Darcy, and with Williams working beside them, he clearly felt secure enough to continue drawing. This time, it was because he was focused on it, not because he was avoiding her. He was inviting her into her world, she had passed half of the first wall.

He said:

\- « Mr. Darcy's sister, Georgina... »

\- « Mhh... »

\- « She almost did something really bad because a bad man lied to her. She didn't know it was so bad, but she almost did. And she feels guilty. Even though she shouldn't. And Mr. Darcy, he understands that. He doesn't think she's a monster. He doesn't want her to leave. He protects her, against the world. He's there for her. He still loves her. And when he meets Lizzy… »

\- « Yes, kiddo? »

\- « Lizzy understands everything. And, while Darcy starts protecting her too, Lizzy starts protecting Georgiana… » he whispered.

Natasha didn't say a word, as Bruce finished Darcy's hair, then started and finished Georgina, next to Darcy and Lizzy, holding hands. For a child who went through so much trauma, the drawing was extraordinarily full of colors, of love and life. When all was done, she only said:

\- « You are right, it is a beautiful story. I especially love how Lizzy enters their world. It was a very tight world, just the two of them. But Lizzy enters, and she illuminates all, taking care of them, while they take care of her. She doesn't destroy their world, only makes it bigger and better. »

Bruce then raised his head and almost beamed at her. His face was still red, but now his eyes were full of stars, not because she was beautiful but because she had touched his soul. And because of this, Anna-Grace was now well disposed towards her. The first wall had been crossed, and to enter into the Holy Temple was now only a matter of time.

Indeed, half of the mission was completed, she had caught him, he would love her. She only hadn't expected to be caught so quickly.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As days went by, Natasha continued her mission of getting close to the kid and the woman. Knowing full well she was getting attached too, she risked it. After all, her heart was on the line the minute Bruce entered her life.

So, she kept coming down to the lobby, trying to go there every time Peter Stradivarius or Rosie Carpenter weren't there - which was starting to be rare as they seemed to try to spend as much time as her with the Williams family - and enjoying every minute spent with Bruce.

However, and this was a surprise for her, she was getting along extremely well with Anna-Grace. Of course, it was easy to pretend to appreciate someone as a secret spy, and to avoid touchy subjects when you knew someone's past, but even though, Natasha Romanoff had an affinity with Anna-Grace Williams.

Natasha, obviously, was crossing other walls.

It had started with Bruce, of course. Anna-Grace was thankful for Natasha's gentleness towards her "son" and how easily she made him talk. After only two days, he was confortable with her, which was more than what Carpenter could claim. Indeed, when the lady's noisiness and liveliness amused Bruce, he always was thrown back when she addressed him, and even more now as he seemed quite tired. On the contrary, and this was what the Black Widow wanted Williams to see, Natasha adapted to Bruce. Knowing how to calmly enter his world, she never stared at him, alway talked with a soft voice, and laughed a lot. She never tried to touch him, respecting his personal space, always found a way to pick the subjects which could make Bruce forget his shyness. That last part, of course, was made easier by the fact that Natasha knew Bruce better than both Anna-Grace and the little boy.

Moreover, Natasha always found a way to make Anna-Grace confortable, never talking about personal subjects while allowing small talks to paint an image of herself, be it through the weather, books or Bruce.

Thus, every time they met, Anna-Grace Williams' face clearly showed the Black Widow how the blond lady was revising her opinion on her client, erasing the thought that she was a superficial and rich young girl to form the image of someone who loved Bruce, and was actually a nice person.

At the other end of the relationship, it wasn't long before Natasha enjoyed their talks as much as Anna-Grace did, and for those talks to become sincere.

It had started with Bruce, of course. Natasha was grateful for Anna-Grace's care for the boy. He obviously loved and trusted his « mother », and felt safe around her. The Black Widow knew very well how that in itself was a miracle, considering Bruce, even at 4 years old, already had had an « awful father » luggage.

Moreover, Anna-Grace was letting her cross walls towards the Holy Temple. Even if Natasha could've developed a relationship with Bruce without Williams' "agreement", she was thankful for not being shut out of any kind of relationship with the boy. Anna-Grace Williams, careful as she was around new persons, wasn't shutting the world out. It was a good sign, considering what she had been through.

Finally, Natasha had to admit Anna-Grace Williams, as an individual, was growing on her. Reading the blond lady was easy, and what she could see was the portrait of a nice girl who had made mistakes and was relentlessly trying to build a life out of ruins.

Thus, between the "mother" and the "son", Natasha could almost forget her mission.

But, of course, reports to Steve and Fury made it impossible, as well as news form Tony's lack of "advance" and above all, the hack in her chest she felt every time she left Bruce. As much as she loved spending time with him, he wasn't her Bruce, and his "absence" every day was like a yoke on her shoulders that kept getting heavier. Crossing walls had never felt so toughly personal.


	10. Nightmares

Sometimes in life, you have miracles. Today is such a day : a new chapter only a week after the last one! :D

Dear Guest, I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope this one will please you as well. I liked Thor The Dark World mainly because of Loki and Asgard. It's not one of the best, but it is nice nonetheless. I found Ant-Man really funny, even is the scenario is not extremely original. If you liked all the movie so far, and remember to not expect too much, I think you'll have a good time.

As for Enji's questions, sorry, I can't tell ^^

Hope you all enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter X**

 **Nightmares**

« Now I live among the dead

Fighting voices in my head

Hoping someone hears me crying in the night

And carries me away »

Set Me Free, _Casting Crowns_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Being a child never is easy. Living isn't easy to begin with, so learning how to live should not be considered easy at all.

But, being a child as Bruce Banner was worst, for many reasons ; one of those was that he didn't know how to tell Anna-Grace about what was going on.

She was an angel from heaven coming down to earth for him. Life was so fun with her, so full of learning. Because of her, he was learning how to draw, how to build. With her, he was learning how to count, how to read and write. She was teaching him how to hold a knife and cut food with it, how to …, how to make friends.

And she was staying with him even though there were many things wrong with him, starting with the fact that he should be in 1974 but was in 2015. Despite all of this, she stayed, and moreover, still loved him. She was the best gift he never even dare to wish for, and here he was, trying with everything within him not to lose her. Bruce Banner knew very well he didn't deserve her, but she didn't mind, she didn't even care. And as much as he had understood that, deep down, he still was that little boy who was always afraid something would come up and mean the end.

As he woke up, his heart pudding in his chest, siting in his bed in a flash, memories of his nightmare behind his eyelids, Bruce felt like he had only escape one fear to fell into the other.

It was the third time he had had this nightmare since the playground. He was afraid something was very very wrong with him. How could he dream of such a giant beast? Especially considering what the beast was capable of. Smashing buildings, destroying cities, _killing people_. So much rage…

And HE was the beast. Robert Bruce Banner, 4 years old, was the green beast.

Far worst and what always woke him up was the last scene in his dreams : him ending up killing Anna-Grace. Her lifeless face staring at the sky, his monstrous body casting a shadow over her broken body, his enormous hands holding such a tiny and precious treasure… He was the one who killed her. He never really remembered how, as he always was smashing things in his dreams, then holding her broken body in his hands, but somehow, Bruce always felt that HE was the one responsible for the woman's death.

The little child fell back on his pillow, his head bouncing a couple of seconds from the shock, tears almost falling from his eyes before being quickly wiped away by the tiny ducks on his sleeves, as if the animals were sharing his pain. Staring at them, Bruce knew the nightmare was just that, a nightmare, without any possible incidence or projection into the future. He was also smart enough, despite his young age, to know it was somehow linked with what his father always said.

However, he knew it was also linked with what had happened. And that was scary because THOSE memories were different. He knew it had happened but he also knew he shouldn't know nor remember. In those moments, in the dark, when all was fuzzier than in the light of day, Bruce Banner was scared of what was in his mind.

And as if all of this wasn't enough, he was also terrified of the beast because once the terror of the dream gone, he knew it wasn't an illusion. Bruce Banner knew the beast, and it was linked with the voice he heard at the carousel and at the playground.

 _So_ , he inwardly asked the ducks, _should I tell Anna-Grace? Or at least warn her, if not try to be comforted by her?_ As only the silence answered, he knew what the ducks would say if he could understand them : _Warn her? How?_

Rolling in his bed and burying his head in his pillow, Bruce knew exactly what his heart was screaming at him: _Run to her bed, and bury yourself in her arms! You'll be safe there!_

But it was the middle of the night, and Bruce knew, despite his young age, that things were not that easy. It never was, after all.


	11. Roses On The Wall

Hello there! Thank you for the reviews, I love them!

Guest, do not worry, I love your reviews too much to care about whether they're late or not ^^ (which they can't be, you have no obligations to review after all ; although I love your reviews, so please continue ^^) I'm sorry for how the last chapter made you feel, but as least it means I wrote it well.

I cannot promise to publish one new chapter every week, but for a while, I should be able to publish one every two weeks.

Now, here is the new chapter, I hope you'll enjoy it!

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **Roses On The Wall**

« So when I'm crying alone

Yeah, when I'm cold as a dying stone

Grow me a garden of roses »

Poets of the Fall, _Roses_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

On this bright morning day, warmth escaped Anna-Grace. The blond lady was staying by the window in the kitchen, while Bruce ate breakfast, a cup of coffee in her hand. The sun rays were playing shadows on her face, the cup was warming her hands, but warmth would only reach her body, not her heart, leaving her cold inside. She recognized the symptoms, she had experienced the cause : a dark pit of whirling thought imprisoned her mind. As much as she tried to push her burdens away, one would always find a way to haunt her: Bruce and his past, Bruce and his time problem, Bruce and her, Bruce and school, Bruce and normal life, Him, Him and her, Him and Bruce… Her past solution, to shut it all out, was slowly losing its efficiency.

Moreover, Bruce looked unusually tired, and had been for a while; despite putting him to bed early last night, his smiles still lacked enthusiasm. His weariness only added to the fog of worries surrounding Anna-Grace. And she had to be the responsible adult here, one step away from the solution, dazed by nothing!

As if this wasn't enough, more walls collapsed between her and Peter, Rosie or even Natalie meant more headaches about what to hide, when to hide, why to hide…

The matter was in fact quite simple: she didn't know what to do.

While dressing up the thought nagged at her. While getting Bruce ready, she kept coming back to it. While coming down to the lobby, her incompetence was all she could think of. She didn't know what to do. At the counter, her smile and cheering voice on the outside could not transform the reality inside: she didn't know what to do.

She didn't want to lose Bruce. She feared... Shaking her head, Anna-Grace looked around at the lobby hoping to find a friendly face. But when she only encountered emptiness, the lifeless body of Bruce's mother, broken and bloody, came back to her with violence, bringing her mind to grounds too unsafe for her sanity. She really DID not want to imagine any of this, how and why Bruce's mother might be dead, because Anna-Grace knew all too well the statistics, she was one of the number. And it only added the question of the father...

She sighed, for the umpteenth time, closing her eyes for a couple of seconds. She hated how she felt, lost under the weight of her emotions. It prevented her from reasoning, as if she was a weak and sentimental woman affected solely by her hormones, like her husband always snarled at her.

 _But I'm not weak_ , she suddenly remembered, her eyes on all the lobby's details she had learned to love: the worn out armchairs, the aging wooden floor, the creaking stairwells. _I am not who He always said I was. I fought back. I escaped. I made it to Neverland. I'm taking care of Bruce_.

She observed the kid next to her, contemplating the proof of her strength and the source of it all. He was seating directly on the counter, drawing, his tiny ducks on his left. Replaying in her mind this morning's scene, when he had insisted on taking them with him, the weird sensation that something was off suddenly weighed on her. Ever since she had offered him the plastic animals, they had barely left his side at home while he had rarely wanted to take them with him outside. She couldn't discern if it was because he wanted someone or something to wait for him at home, or a reason to come back, but his insistence this morning had been unusual. However, it was only when she looked at the drawings and pencils she noticed the odd occurrence that truly bothered her: he had left the green duck at home and the green pencil laid abandoned on the counter. Although green was not his favorite color, it had never prevented him from using it.

And he wasn't making a noise. His shoulder were tensed, and he was avoiding her eyes. She suddenly realized she had been so focused on her distress she had missed the evident signs of his. _How can you be so blind? Of course he's scared! He's just a kid, and he's going through so much…_ Guilt at her carelessness and will to atone in her heart, she carefully rubbed his hair. The little kid turned his face towards her, the dark rings around his eyes screaming at her, and she asked him if he was alright. His eyes opened wider as he nodded, but he left his drawings to come closer, under her arm.

Relieved at this, she smiled and embraced his body as it slumped against her, in search of human contact. His small frame released the tension it was holding on, its warmth invading Anna-Grace's body. As she relished in the embrace, she sensed how they both gave up on stress. Her lips on his head, taking on his so unique smell, she once again marveled at his resilience. _He's going through so much, and a hug is all he asks for… As long as I can give it to him, and it proves to be enough, things cannot be that bad…_ If only she could find a way to anchor him in a more normal life… School was out of the question, or any official facility, as it would bring too much attention upon them. Her fake papers were meant for leaving the country, not living in it, and would never survive prolonged attention. Moreover, Bruce would never fit in a normal school, between his amazing intelligence and his difficult life. He possessed such a rich mind, such a good heart…

In the midst of all those reflexions, Anna-Grace needed a break. She was thus extremely glad to hear Natalie's voice wishing them a good day. The client was welcomed with a sincere smile, but it grew even more when Bruce overcome his worries with joy after setting his eyes on his third favorite lady. The « mother » then more at peace, at least for a while, the atmosphere in the room changed to contentment. Easy chatter started and filled the lobby, the clock ticking by, no one noticing nor caring. At the end of their discussion, Anna-Grace and Natasha had « discovered » they both loved reading historical fictions, and if the Black Widow was only pretending to enjoy books as much as her friend did, they both related on loving the escape it provided in troubled times.

While the « Williams » family was getting close to Natasha, so were they to Rosie and Peter. Was it the emptiness in the own old friends' lives that made them so hungry for Anna-Grace and Bruce's presence? Or how honest they could be around the child?

Indeed, Peter and Rosie were that kind of people you see but do not notice. Always there, when everything around them is moving. Alone, because their family is long dead or long estranged, with sometimes a relative they never really cared about and that in consequence doesn't really care about them now.

On the contrary, Bruce and Anna-Grace had lost, one his world, the other her dreams, and were now in a recovering phase. Despite all the hardships they were going through, they finally had relative peace and happiness compare to what they endured before, which made them extremely grateful for each day that came and went by. Their openness about life, their hunger for what was to come despite the past horror, their hope for a brighter future, even well hidden, could only attract lonely and observing persons like Peter and Rosie.

Moreover, after another conversation about Peter and Rosie's relationship, Bruce and Anna-Grace had decided first, the situation was ridiculous, second, their friends needed a little help. So they tried to be with them as much as they could, to diffuse any unnecessary tension. Of course, it wasn't enough to stop arguments, as Peter and Rosie both loved to pester against the world - God knew the world needed people to say what was wrong in it - and considered debates a joy or even an expression of affection. But all in all, Anna-Grace and Bruce managed to spot which harsh word had been hurtful or which anger expressed frustration, thus helping their friends to move on forward, and hopefully in the right direction.

However, what Anna-Grace had not foreseen was that, unlike Natasha who knew what was going on, and where all the Lorien's family weirdness came from, Rosie and Peter didn't know what had happened to the mother and child, and were of a natural curious nature.

Peter had already guessed his employee was in a difficult situation and had decided, when he offered her the job, to respect her privacy and let her confide in him if she wanted to one day. Indeed, his laziness combined with his old school manners often counterbalanced his inquisitiveness. But Rosie wasn't the same. No, she was an active woman, who wouldn't take no for an answer, and whose curiosity often led her to try to find out the truth anytime she smelt a mystery.

So, on a Saturday evening, when Rosie wondered for the umpteenth time why Bruce didn't call Anna-Grace « mom », she decided to plainly ask. She and Peter had been invited over for tea after dinner, and she was drying the dishes washed by Anna-Grace. Bruce had just asked « AG » if he could show his new trucks to Peter, and after the positive answer had left for his bedroom with the older man.

Putting her foot in it, Rosie said:

\- « Why doesn't Bruce call you Mum? He never did while I was with you, or talking about you. »

Anna-Grace didn't have a justification lined up. She never really thought about what people would say seeing a child alone with a woman he didn't call his mother because who could notice and be phased by it? And to think ahead of a reply was not in her capacity, considering where in her mind and memories those thoughts led her.  
She wasn't his mother! Well, he was her son, but it wasn't the same. Was it?

And Bruce already had a mother, or at least had had one, it wasn't like she could take her place. Feeling something tug at her heartstrings at that idea, like every time she even had a glimpse of a thought about the subject of motherhood, she quickly cleared her head, and turning away from the sink to avoid Rosie's eyes, gave the only answer she could come up with:

\- « It's complicated. »

Which always satisfies someone's curiosity, as we all know well.

\- « Oh, don't do it like that to me! » joked Rosie.

But when she saw the other woman's restless hands, she understood her friend hadn't been messing around. Which made her want to know even more what was going on, even though she couldn't pry too much. She was going to ask for some pieces of information, trying to come to the subject from another angle, when Anna-Grace was saved by Bruce running to her and showing her a new firetruck offered by Peter, all with the white ladder and the firefighter siren. Peter entered soon after the boy, an explication on the lips, and between the excitation, the ladder show, the background siren sound and an excited but tired little boy that needed to be put in bed, the « mother » didn't have to answer a question she knew she wouldn't like.

However, the question stayed in the corner of her mind all evening, even after she told stories to Bruce and watched him fall asleep. It stayed while she prepared for the night, while she read a book, making it almost impossible for her to concentrate on it. When she finally gave up on trying to read it, the question was still there, and when she went to sleep, it was there still.

When the next morning she woke up to that question, she realized there was no way she could escape this.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Anna-Grace knew there were too many thoughts harassing her around, and that Rosie's question would be the most tenacious. Had she been a normal person, she would've had a coffee with her husband, a relative she was close to, or her best friend. Unfortunately, her parents were far away, she never really had close enough friends to open herself to on private subjects, and as for her husband, she'd rather die now surrounded by spiders and butterflies than to confide in him.

The thing was, having no one to talk to never means not needing to tell someone. Talking about what bothers you can, at the very least, help you deal with it, even if the person you're talking to never gives you a good piece of advice or cannot come up with a way out because there is none.

So, on this Sunday morning, she invited Rosie over for tea for when she and Bruce would come back from Central Park, counting on the boy to be exhausted from all the funny moments with the boys and thus to sleep a couple of hours at least.

She then went through the day in a constant daze of nervousness. As she had planned, Bruce played with Nathan and his brothers - cousins? - for hours, and was exhausted when they came back. While she chatted lightly with Cheery and the others moms, she hoped she was able to hide how nervous she felt about the upcoming conversation, but the way Cheery asked if they would meet next week clearly gave away that Anna-Grace was losing her hand in hiding what she thought or felt. However, touched by Cheery's concern and at the same time by her discretion, she was able to warmly assure the lady of their presence next Sunday. Nathan, who was brooding next to his mother because of the obligation to go, suddenly let out a cry of joy at the news and embraced Bruce while letting out an extremely happy « see you next week, bro! ». Bruce couldn't suppress chuckles, his lips stretching on their own accords at the news. His grin and Nathan extrovert joy brought smiles on Cheery's and Anna-Grace's faces, and a bridge was built between them, made of mutual understanding over the pleasure to see one's son's joy, and promising a new friendship.

On their way home, Bruce was thus an extremely chatty and joyful little boy, holding on to Anna-Grace's hand not like he was holding on to the less stressful thing in the world, but more like he knew his happiness might make him fly away if he attached himself to her. This eased his « mother » but at the same time, it brought back all of her worries, and thus her nervousness about the upcoming conversation. Rosie wasn't exactly a friend, but she seemed for Anna-Grace the closest she could think of. Peter trusted her, after all. How much was too much to tell?

It was certain it had been a while since someone had been nice to her as Rosie was, had cared for her as Rosie did. Maybe it had started out of curiosity, but Anna-Grace was sure her client did care for her, even if it was just a little bit. Between Rosie's life experience, her sincerity, and her kindness, the upcoming conversation was bound to be useful, wasn't it?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When the bell rang, Bruce was sleeping soundly in his bed. Anna-Grace went to the door nervously, her resolution melting. She was glad of her initiative though when she saw Rosie's smile after opening the front door, and a new found determination overcame her. The guest was invited inside and the ladies went to the kitchen while having a casual conversation. Once the scones were ready, they settled down on the sofa, the plate on the table by their side, and cups of tea on their knees. It was only then that they stopped their small talk, as if they had both understood the meeting was not to be meaningless.

Rosie took a sip of her tea, clearly wondering how to phrase her sentences and thoughts, and Anna-Grace couldn't help but look at her hands warming around the cup. She didn't look up when the older woman starting talking:

\- « Darling… »

Anna-Grace swallowed, suddenly extremely nervous about having too much to say but nothing to disclose, until a hand came on top of hers, and a soft voice said:

\- « First thing first, let's make things straight : if you do not want to talk, we do not have to talk. I know I seem to be the kind of people who never give up, but I can understand the need for privacy. You have no obligations towards me, and you have the right to wish for your private life to remain what it is, private. »

The words and the voice were soft. It gave enough confidence to Anna-Grace for her to examine her new friend, although still uncertain about where to begin and how far to go. However, the old lady was only showing kindness and openness, behind a smile. Anna-Grace wanted more than anything to believe what she was seeing so she started, slowly and hesitantly:

\- « It's not that, I do not want to, to talk about it, but, I mean, it's, it's … »

\- « … complicated » finished Rosie, comprehensive.

Anna-Grace nodded and took a sip of her tea while her guest sighed heavily, before saying:

\- « I know I'm not old enough to be called wise, but I've still had my share of life. I've seen many situations, and unfortunately, singleness coupled with motherhood rarely is simple. »

Laughing awkwardly, the young lady answered:

\- « Who said I was single? »

\- « Anna-Grace, even if I wasn't spending so much time with you, I would be able to tell you have little time for someone right now. Remember, I've seen many situations. » said Rosie, softly.

Keeping her cup with both hands, the young woman couldn't help but feel the tears come to her eyes, before laughing more freely this time.

\- « You're right, I certainly don't have the time for that right now. »

Silence settled between them again, but this time it was a comfortable one, the kind that speaks trust to those who listen. In this serene atmosphere, Rosie was the one to speak first:

\- « So? »

\- « What are your questions, Rosie? »

\- « Are you Bruce's biological mother?"

\- « No. »

The quick answer was only confirming something Rosie already knew, obviously. Something that wasn't really a secret either. So, she then looked at the young woman, patiently waiting for her to say whatever she felt ready to unveil. Anna-Grace nodded, appreciating the way the conversation would unfold, allowing her to lead it wherever she wanted, and to go at her own pace.

\- « Bruce and I have been leaving together for only a short time now. »

At Rosie sympathetic smile, she felt encouraged to go on.

\- « He fell into my care in an, unorthodox way, I should say. »

At Rosie's scrutiny, she added, laughing half-heartedly :

\- « I did not kidnap him or anything, of course »

\- « I know, Anna-Grace » answered the old lady, taking a sip of her tea with an unexpected calmness around her.

\- « You do? » exclaimed the blond lady, surprised, before quickly staring at her hands, half ashamed, half scared at her outburst.

Rosie was still looking at her, silent, and Anna-Grace felt compelled to fill the silence by blurting out:

\- « We both have… complicated backgrounds, and I… »

Nibbling on her lips, she tried to express her doubts and issues about the situation without revealing things that were not hers to say, or too dangerous to say for her or Bruce.

\- « Is that why he doesn't call you « mom » ? » intervened Rosie.

\- « What do you mean? » asked Anna-Grace, unsure.

\- « You obviously have established a relationship between you two that goes beyond the simple fostering care. » stated Rosie.

The older woman was looking her in the eye, and Anna-Grace knew this wasn't said out of the blue. It was meant to be a reassurance, to reaffirm Rosie's trust in Anna-Grace, especially after the blond woman's earlier denial.

Looking at her hands around the cup, unable to hold on to the stare, the young woman nodded. She didn't really know what to respond to that.

\- « Are your respective backgrounds, and the fact that you just started living together, the reasons behind Bruce not calling you « mom »? » helped Rosie.

\- « I think, yes. » answered Anna-Grace hesitantly.

The older woman considered the younger one in front of her like she was trying to solve a puzzle.

\- « Anna-Grace, do you want him to call you « mom »? »

This was the question that haunted her dreams ever since she promised him to be there for him. She didn't know. She didn't know! The young woman couldn't reply as she felt herself suffocate under all of that pain, the pain she tried to push aside, the pain killing her from the inside ever since that fateful night. The dreams and fears all came back in a moment, suddenly crushed under the past nightmares again. So many voices inside she didn't know which one to listen to.

\- « Anna-Grace?! »

At the alarm in Rosie's voice, Anna-Grace looked at the woman seating in front of her, trying to smile but failing miserably, the tumult in her mind too violent for her to hide. Her sight blurred, and it was only when tears started falling on her cheeks she realized it was because she was crying.

\- « Oh, darling… » said Rosie, her voice desolated and yet compassionate. She quickly put her cup of tea on the table to cover the young woman's hands with hers, and slowly rub them with her thumb, trying to insert some calm into the crying lady.

Anna-Grace tilted forward, concentrated on the contact. She was for once thankful of the personal space invasion, leaning on the touch, trying to take a breath with each round made by the thumb on her hand. Closing her eyes, she was able to linked herself with the moment, detaching her from the past and its mistakes. With her newfound composure, she could talk again, taking the time to choose her words carefully:

\- « For me, and for Bruce, things are complicated. » _How many times do you think you're gonna say that?_ asked a bitter voice inside her head.

But, opening her eyes to see Rosie's kind face, she was anchored into the present, and ignored the voice to continue, with a slightly less shaking voice:

\- « Even if it was good for Bruce, I'm not sure I would be ready to be a mother. Even independently to where I come from, what I left behind… »

She wasn't sure how to finish her phrase so she just ended up sighing, rubbing her eyes to put off the remains of tears and looking at this stupid cup again before putting it on the table, annoyed both at the cold tea and at her messy thoughts.

Rosie used her soft and calming voice again:

\- « Why would it not be good for Bruce? He loves you, trusts you. And I am witness to how well you are taking care of him. What would be sufficient reason for you not adopting him? »

To adopt him… This was the last straw on the camel's back for her. All reserve or caution forgotten, she rose up and started walking back and forth at the other side of the table, pouring out all the thoughts that kept haunting her:

\- « I don't know what happened to his mother! What if she's dead? » she screamed desperately, before laughing almost hysterically and continuing : « and if she's dead, I'm afraid to know why, to know what happened. Because if I'm right, God! We're in big trouble. There would be the problem with the father, with the police, with Bruce and whatever psychological issues he could have, and how could I help him face this when I myself…!" »

She had to stop, she couldn't continue. She tried again:

\- « When I myself… »

But it was too hard. The thoughts were there though. _I lost so much. I hate thinking about that night and I cannot go to the police. Bruce's not from here, and I'm not safe, Rosie. What if I take care of him, and I am the reason he's hurt? I would never forgive myself if anything happened to him because he made the mistake to agree to live with me._ But she couldn't voice them. She didn't know how.

She looked at Rosie again, despair on her face. _And even if we manage to keep it safe, to avoid troubles from Him, he's not from here. What if I have to let him go? Should I try to send him back to the past, knowing it could mean his death? Or him being hurt?_

Rosie was watching her, now, desolate but so calm. She wasn't looking at her as if she was crazy, she wasn't looking at her as if she was unsafe. She was looking at her as if she knew something Anna-Grace herself had forgotten. The young woman didn't know why, but it pushed her to pour out what nagged her deep down:

\- « I'm not safe, Rosie. But where he is from is not safe either. He could get hurt by staying with me, he could get hurt by being send back, by things I nor he knows or even understands. How can I know what's best for him? »

Anna-Grace was still looking at Rosie, hoping despite all of her instincts that the old lady would suddenly have the answer to everything, that her age would give way to wiseness or some mystical old Indian knowledge.

Rosie studied her hands, careful about how to phrase her thoughts. She rose up slowly, staring at the wooden floor, and came by Anna-Grace's side, before looking her in the eye. Gently, she cupped the young lady's face with her hands, as if to anchor her in the here and now before affirming with a tone leaving no space for doubt:

\- « Dear Anna-Grace, just by asking yourself that last question, you are already doing far more, and I think far better, than many, many mothers and fathers I encountered. »

The ex-runaway wanted to cry again, but the words effectively calmed her down. Although she did need to close her eyes for a minute, to let them sink in, she was relieved to feel her heartbeat come back to a normal pace, as she was putting her hands on Rosie's, almost holding on to her. Doubts would certainly come back again later, but at least she would have something to scream at the monsters in her head. Rosie continued, the light joy in her voice back:

\- « Moreover, you love Bruce. I know you'll take the right decision even if it means going against your own wishes. » Almost teasingly, and patting on the young lady's cheek before taking Anna-Grace by the hand to lead her to the sofa, she added « I am right or I am right? »

Laughing weakly, the blond woman had to admit the truth behind the tease. If loving Bruce and caring for him meant losing him, she knew she was already ready for this.

\- « And I will finish with this: » assured Rosie sententiously, just as she was seating with delicateness after Anna-Grace crumbled on the couch « sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. »

Laying back on the sofa, all matter of politeness forgotten, the young lady only raised her eyebrows, uncertain about the meaning of the phrase. Rosie laughed and answered the unspoken question:

\- « It means each day has enough trouble of its own, or there is no need to add to the troubles each day brings. Therefore », as she was serving another cup of tea and handing it to her companion, « deal with the troubles of the day, and it will all unfold as it was meant. »

Sipping her tea, Anna-Grace meditated on those indeed wise words, as she at last felt more peaceful. Life was crazy right now, but with each day, she knew she could make sure Bruce had his share of happiness and love until they couldn't stay together. Promising this to herself, and even though she didn't feel like straitening on the sofa, she was able to look at Rosie and smile at her friend with a new inner strength.

The end of the afternoon was spent talking about many things but their previous conversation, enjoying this opportunity to learn more about each other. Later on, Bruce woke up, and Peter arrived with a dessert. Anna-Grace didn't have to invite her guests over for dinner, it being the natural continuation of the afternoon. They talked for hours, enjoying the time together. When Rosie told them, finally, how she and Peter had met, making Bruce laugh to tears, the smile she exchanged with the other lady was one of comprehension, mutual promise and more than all, the premise of the beginning of a strong friendship. It left Anna-Grace blessing, once more, the day she had met her son.


	12. You Know What You Did

Thank you Guest and Enji for your reviews, I love them! And thank you for your continuous support.

Special thanks to Guest, you cannot imagine how encouraging you are. I really want to avoid writing Mary-Sues or destroying good characters with bad developments or incoherences, so I'm glad my work is paying off ^^ Keep on ranting, I love it ;)

As for what would the misfit family would say about Bruce's secret identity... Well, you're gonna have to wait ^^

Love your guys, hope you'll enjoy this short chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **You Know What You Did  
**

Mission 34TGDB67

Report n° 38 - R

Sir,

Have received confirmation of subject n° XY347 having registered at Hotel Centro, Via Firenze, 12, 00184 Roma, Italy, hotel room 52 (fifth floor).

Was spotted in locations T, S, and H where he found the evidences falsified, as planned.

Demand confirmation to send next travel guidances for Paris and London, and payments.

Agent Barton

OOOOO

Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

Thanks for the confirmation, Clint, but lose the tone. Junior is making sure we're the only ones on the line.

I authorize the next payments and missions.

Steve.

OOOOO

Re-Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

Dear Captain,

Will do.

But are you sure no one except us can read those emails? I thought Junior and Stark had a soft spot for the Vision.

I sent the payments and missions to my friends. They replied with photos of the falsified evidences in all the locations instructed for, in Paris and London. They're waiting for Williams.

Also, because I'm an honest man, and don't want to lie to you and hide things from you, you should know the target received a beating in Roma. But it totally wasn't us. Just so you know.

See ya,

Hawkeye.

OOOOO

Re-Re-Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

Clint,

I thought I had been clear. We lose the guy, we don't beat him up. Not when he's completely powerless and doesn't know who is after him.

When it'll be safe (which should be at minima when he runs out of money) and we arrest him, he'll resist. Then, and only then, will you be authorize to give him a correction.

As for the Vision, it seems like Junior has a soft spot for the lady. So, we're clear.

Send the photos.

Send my regards to your family,

Steve.

OOOOO

Re-Re-Re-Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

Fine, fine. I'll try to warn the gang, but I can't promise he won't receive a well deserved "correction"! (btw, no-one says correction anymore, cap. You should try to keep up the beat… Seriously. Sounds lame otherwise).

Photos attached.

Laura says hi, and that you're welcome anytime you want for tea. She insists for you to come, Cap, and can be dangerous if you don't apply. Just a friendly warning.

See you soon,

Awesome Hawkeye.

OOOOO

Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

Clint…

Thanks for the photos.  
Thank Laura for me, but I'm quite busy right now, and cannot be a burden for your family.

Have a good day,

Cap.

OOOOO

Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

Just to be sure, the "Clint…" was for my remark on your vocabulary or the "correction"?

Laura insists and says she'll send me kidnap you if you don't come. I'll do it if she asks me, Cap.

OOOOO

Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

For both, Clint. For both.

Thank Laura for me, but I really cannot come. Between you, Junior and Tony, and my actual work, I do not have time.

Regards,

Capt.

OOOOO

Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Mission 34TGDB67

Report n°38 - R

Dear Captain,

This is Laura. Please excuse Clint for me being able to write you back on this classified exchange of emails, but he left his "spy" phone on the table after I send him out.

Please come over for tea, tomorrow at 4pm, where and when you'll be able to correct my husband on his vocabulary, methods and others, and talk freely about your mission without having to send 10 emails in one day. This is not a request. It's an order.

See you tomorrow,

Laura Barton.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day, the great and fearless Captain America was at Laura's table, enjoying tea with her, the kids and the dog, while Clint kept a low profile under Laura's smug look, for ego's sake. It was indeed easier to then have reports on the mission and observe photos of a not-extremely-loved-man waisting his money on a trip around the world, searching his soon-to-be-ex-wife where she wasn't.

However, Steve couldn't say it out loud.

They were consequences with admitting he was more efficient in such a normal environment, around kids playing with a dog or running around the house. They were consequences with conceding it meant so much to him, to help an other kid and his « mother » from an abuser. It would mean having to accept something could fill the void emptying his heart ever since he woke up in this strange world. He would be forced to acknowledge his fight was not in vain, that maybe the endgame for superheros was not always loneliness, tears and blood. Those were scary thoughts he was not used too.

He couldn't admit it. Besides, Laura's gaze weighing down on him, he knew deep down he had enough know-it-all ladies in his life.


	13. The Power of Imagination

Hello dear readers!

Merry Christmas! I hope you're having a wonderful time with your family or friends, and that you can use that time of the year to rest.

Here is my gift for you in that season : a new chapter! I'm sorry it took me so long to post a new one, but I finally have a beta-reader, who by the way, is awesome, thank you NamiEmi! She went over all the previous chapters (I cannot believe how many mistakes they were in there XD), which took some time. But, finally, we finished this review, and we'll now be able to work together to post new chapters, I hope, more often.

On the other hand, it's been more than a year since I poster Chapter 1, and I cannot believe how far this story went! Thank you for your fidelity, and I cannot wait for what comes next!

Once again, Merry Christmas, and I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **The Power of Imagination**

You start to grow up

All I can do is hold you tight

Knowing clouds will raise up

Storms will race in

But you will be safe in my arms

 _In my arms_ , Plump.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"'And since then, every night Wendy would stand by the window, observing the stars high above the city before wishing a good night to the boy who refused to grow up. Somehow, she knew he heard her. And maybe it was her imagination, but she could've sworn the stars winked at her in reply.'"

Anna-Grace's voice ended in a whisper, as Bruce closed his eyes like theater curtains ending the story. He was in his bed, tucked under the cover, a ducky night light - offered by Rosie - by his side. Anna-Grace kissed him on the forehead, as usual, and wished him a good night.

Letting himself drift away, Bruce allowed his thoughts to lead him wherever they wanted to go. He could always do that after a good night story, because there was always so much to think of. Even though Anna-Grace wasn't particularly good at telling stories, contrary to Mum, she still had something special in her voice. Maybe it was because he really liked her. Or because he was thankful to her. Either way, because of her, she protected him from the bad dreams. And tonight, he was led to Neverland. He could feel the air as he was flying in the night, feel the sand between his toes once on the Island, hear the waves crashing on and on… As he turned to Peter Pan, he wasn't surprised to see Peter's face. He had always been in Neverland after all.

And the thoughts turned into dreams, dreams of fighting pirates and evil men who looked like Dad, with Peter and little fairy Rosie by his side. And as they delivered mermaids Mama and Anna-Grace, Bruce was safe. The certainty anchored in him, he knew he wouldn't have bad dreams tonight.

How could he lose with Peter Pan by his side?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Bruce was watching Peter rather intently this morning, and the older man didn't like it. They were in the kitchen, supposedly to play an educational board game - as ordered by Rosie before she left for "groceries too delicate for your hands, Peter" - but the kid's concentration was mostly fixed on Peter. The man almost regretted accepting to keep an eye on the boy while Anna-Grace was working this morning.

Somehow, he knew said boy had a knack for solving mysteries and was smart enough to tell whether aliens existed or not. Which they did, by the way, thanks to the Avengers for answering the existential question.

But that wasn't the point. The point was that Bruce was looking at Peter rather intently, and Peter didn't like it. Not that he had any secrets, but you never know. He certainly didn't want to find himself spilling the beans just when Rosie entered the room. Not that there were any beans to spill, of course.

Peter was ready to counteract, when Bruce attacked with a move Peter had not foreseen.

"Peter, how was it in Neverland?"

The old man looked at the boy in front of him, trying to discern if there was a joke underneath. But the boy was dead serious, and almost, dare he say, reverential.

"Well," teased Peter, feeling quite awkward, "what do you mean? Before you arrived?" What question was that? Neverland had always been a respectable establishment, thank you very much. He never killed or even hit anyone. Not even kids. Not even when they asked questions they thought were simple but didn't mean anything at all! Which he hated, by the way, because he never knew what to answer, and he then felt stupid, and that wasn't fair. He was the older one now, he was supposed to be wise.

Bruce looked surprised. No, not surprised, he was frowning…

"What do you mean, before I arrived?"

The tone was not filled with anger, and the boy was still leaning in. Good, Rosie would not kill him for mistreating the boy. However, Peter loved Bruce, really, but he was tired and could sense a headache coming, plus he hated conversations where he had no idea what was going on in the other person's head. Like with Rosie. It was unnerving how she was undecipherable. How rude.

"Peter?"

Ah, yes, Neverland, the boy's question.

"What is your question, Bruce?" he asked, feeling exhausted even though it was only nine in the morning.

"How was Neverland?" answered the kid, this time clearly surprised. Because the question was obvious, of course. Like, obvious.

"Well, like today. It hasn't changed, Bruce, since I created it."

The tone might have been a little bit nasty, but it was Bruce's fault. What question was that? Especially since it was even more offensive!

"You created Neverland?!"

There was a gasp from the boy, the same one who was looking at him with stars in his eyes, gaping at him. Peter must have missed something. Unless… No matter how far fetched the idea was, he was suspicious enough to ask,

"Which Neverland are we talking about here, Bruce?"

Bruce must've understood his question had been unclear, because he blushed. Which, really, was too cute for Peter's own sake.

"The Neverland in the stars."

Ah, the tone was uncertain now. The boy was looking at his hands, hiding behind his curls. _Seriously? Do you want to kill me with your cuteness?_ The tone inside Peter's head was bitter, but that was only to poorly hide how Bruce's question had made him feel. Not uncomfortable, not embarrassed, but… honored. Yes, honored was the right word.

Looking at anything but the boy, Peter had to ask, just to be sure he got it right.

"Kid, do you think I'm Peter Pan?"

His tone was perfect, even, perfectly hiding his troubles. But not well enough, because Bruce was looking at him, smiling…tenderly. _Come on, you can't be more than 5! How can you look tenderly at ME?_ thought an embarrassed Peter - which he would be even more so after hearing Bruce's answer.

"Of course! Are you not? Anna-Grace told me your story yesterday evening," said the boy, excited.

He must've tried to find a reason behind Peter's embarrassment, because he added, almost outraged:

"AG would never lie!"

Peter closed his eyes, shaking his head.

"I know, kid, of course she would never lie." Opening his eyes to find an upset little boy in front of him, frowning, crossed arms and all, Peter found it extremely difficult to hide how funny and cute the kid looked, and almost forgot how the situation made him feel: uncomfortable and exhausted at the same time.

However, Anna-Grace and Rosie chose this exact moment to enter the kitchen and remind him of why exactly he didn't want this past conversation to come to the ladies' ears. Of course, surprised at Bruce's posture, Rosie was quick to ask what happened, and an upset Bruce told them how Peter thought Anna-Grace was a liar, which apparently for the boy was an outrage.

Thankfully for Peter's life, which he cared very much about indeed, Anna-Grace tactfully retraced the conversation, finding the source of Bruce's misunderstanding. Unfortunately, this threatened Peter's honor, which he cared very much about, too. So, fearing the teases, Peter didn't look at the ladies while the past events were unfolded, pretending to be busy with putting away the board game.

However, the reactions were not the ones he had expected, and when Peter looked up, Anna-Grace was beaming at him while Rosie was looking at the boy pensively - something he rarely saw on her face. His long time friend, feeling his gaze on her, raised her eyes up at his. She didn't hide how something was bothering her, and Peter felt uneasy because the last time it happened, Rosie had left the pension, had not come back for a long time, and he never knew why. She must have come to the same realization because she slightly blushed, which made Peter blush against his will, and their eyes diverted. Rosie quickly started a debate with Bruce about which candies were the best, and Peter was left with his uneasiness, forgetting about Anna-Grace's own strange reaction.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

If her friends noticed it, Anna-Grace didn't really care. Today she was taking in every detail of Bruce's face, the way his eyes stared at the sheet of paper in front of him, the way he twisted his mouth as if it would help him better draw islands and mermaids. Her boy was laying down on the floor on his belly, his feet loving the beat of the music in his head, and she was committing to her memory his expressions like it was the first time she saw him. Why not, after all? He was changing, mentally and physically with each passing day, and even though trying to catch it all was like trying to keep water from running between her fingers, she wasn't going to stop trying today. Not after witnessing Bruce's behavior - and especially when she knew she was the only one to see how important it had been.

This particular aspect of Bruce's scars had hit her not long ago. When she had watched a client's kid throw a tantrum over what seemed a stupid reason - his candy had been blue when his sister's had been red and somehow that meant he was being deprived of his basic human rights - she had realized something was … off with Bruce: he was the perfect kid, always well behaved, which was completely abnormal for a child!

Indeed, Bruce never picked on his food, he never sulked when she couldn't play or read with him, he never interrupted her while she talked with others, he never asked her again and again for something after she said no, he never cried because it was time for bed, he never got mad over food. Sure, he sometimes flooded the bathroom or used too much paint for a small piece of paper, but it never was truly childish - not in a way that needed correction or reprimanding, anyway. The only times he was unreasonable were when he was obviously overwhelmed by fear or sadness, and even then it was more like he was having panic attacks than indulging in his feelings. He was the perfect little boy, and Anna-Grace had slowly realized why. He wasn't perfect himself, but he spent all of his energy in pretending to be, because he refused to give her even one reason to give him up.

Ever since she had come to this realization, it tugged at her heartstrings every time he behaved correctly. How could she differentiate what he was doing out of fear from what he was doing according to his conscience? However, she wasn't going to abandon him either way and there were more pressing matters at hand. She knew those kind of issues needed time and maybe even therapy to be solved. So she never gave more than an instant of her time to this fleeting thought. Except that the fleeting thought came more and more often.

And then she had seen Bruce with Peter, thinking their friend was the character from Anna-Grace's stories, and she had been amazed to finally see her bambino becoming a little boy again, letting his imagination override his reason in front of other people than her. He was slowly healing indeed, thanks to the Neverland, and this was lifting a yoke from her shoulders.

So, when Bruce called her to draw with him, she was more than happy to leave her cooking to go lie next to him on the floor and take a colored pencil in her hand, thinking that since Bruce needed Neverland, she would fight like she never did before to keep it in his hands.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later on that day, Anna-Grace was working on files in the hall with Rosie flipping through a magazine by her side. There wasn't much to do, and they were waiting on Bruce and Peter, who had gone for some shopping. They should've been either bored or engrossed in a conversation, but each one was lost in their own thoughts. However, the silence was comfortable so none felt the need to talk.

Suddenly, Rosie broke the silence.

"I'm surprised."

"About what?" asked Anna-Grace, glancing at Rosie but still concentrating on the document in front of her.

"About Bruce's imagination."

"Why?" Anna-Grace continued, amused by Rosie's comment.

"Well, for such a child who is so smart and mature to the point of overthinking almost everything, he really believes anything you tell him."

The woman behind the counter looked up at her friend, confused at the reply.

"He introduced me to the ducks," Rosie explained, chuckling.

"Oh…" said Anna-Grace, blushing.

"Mmm-hmm," teased Rosie.

As Anna-Grace was staying silent, perplexed and embarrassed, Rosie continued:

"I mean, I know children believe anything. How many have I seen believing in the Tooth Fairy or Santa Klaus!" she said, laughing.

"I guess they trust more than we do…" replied Anna-Grace, smiling comprehensively.

"I suppose," agreed Rosie, "But not everyone. They only trust their close relatives or friends, don't they?"

"Well, not really; just think of all those kidnapping stories involving candy…"

"Yes, but in those cases, wasn't it because the kids couldn't imagine others, or at least adults, doing something bad or evil or that would hurt them?" argued Rosie.

Anna-Grace laughed and said,

"What's your point, Rosie?"

"I don't know."

The silence filled the room again, Anna-Grace looking at the older lady, surprised at how Rosie seemed to be musing on something. Sensing the young woman's eyes on her, Rosie looked up and said:

"I guess I'm just surprised. Considering you and Bruce just met, how come he trusted you so easily? What happened that made him trust you so much?"

Only the silence answered the lingering question, and they both knew why: some stones are better left untouched. However, the sickening sensation did not last as the ladies soon heard Bruce's laugh approaching. The laugh, like bells of joy, in turn reminded them of Bruce's resilience. Sadness became wonder and wonder became happiness in front of such a wonderful little boy. Said boy was thus welcomed with smiles linked to the heart and eyes of his ladies, the sad thoughts fading away like the memory of snow in summer.


	14. Awakening

And Surprise! Here is a new chapter! :D

I told you, it's Christmas so Merry Christmas! ;) And happy new year in advance!

Thank you Guest for your review! I'm glad you liked the scenes. I'm the same, in fact one of the reasons I'm writing this story is to give Bruce an other and better childhood! ^^ And I'm lucky, I'm surrounding by many kids so it's easy to get ideas even if I might have difficulties in portraying how much energy, patience and time it actually takes to raise a child. But anyway, this is a story so it's okay I guess ^^

Here is the new chapter, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

 **Awakening**

\- « The Avengers save the day, Again! » was the title of today's newspaper. She had been curious. She had read it. She was stupid.

Anna-Grace dropped her pen on the counter where she slumped. A heavy sigh escaped her body, and she closed her eyes. Surrounded in darkness, she tried to shut out the images coming to her mind. An Iron suit and a shield, arrows and guns, fire, acclamations… Superheros…

She knew, even before meeting Bruce, that she had lived in a bubble, kept away from the world by her husband. She knew it was cracking a little bit more with every smile Bruce offered her, but she hadn't realized how thick it actually was until… well until this freaking newspaper.

And when she thought she had figured it out! When she thought she had imagined everything she could worry about, all the things that could hunt and hurt them, from her husband to Bruce's past! But the quite ordinary object had reopened the gates of anxiety and fear. Learning monsters could have superpowers was not a surprise in itself. After all, she always knew the world was a mad place. Seeing her unbeatable husband coming back from work with a blank look on his face when he usually boasted about everything he did and never refrain on his blows was a sufficient lesson. Learning about superhero was difficult to come around with, because once again, it made her realized how much she had missed since she married that man, especially as apparently Iron Man had been around for a while now. And reading that this team had just saved New York from a mad doctor was crazy. But after all, she knew crazy. She could deal with crazy. Nothing could really surprise her at this point, considering she cared for a 1974 boy.

But, come on! Aliens?! That was beyond crazy!

At least, she had been able to throw the paper away before Bruce saw it. No need to add this to his fears, when he finally seemed to take a break from carrying the world on his shoulders. But still, how was she supposed to protect him in a such a weird world?

\- « Mam? »

The voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and Anna-Grace looked in front of her to find Natalie's face in front of her. She drew back hastily, surprised to be so close to the ginger lady without even having heard her arrive. _How did she do it?_ Her client didn't even flinch at the sudden movement, and Anna-Grace tried to come back to herself by addressing her with a teasing voice:

\- « Call me Anna-Grace, please. We are past the formal, aren't we? »

\- « Yes we are, Anna-Grace. » the light voice answered.

The ginger lady was smiling at her, in a soft kind of way, yet there was something else in that gaze Anna-Grace couldn't quite decipher. Bruce's "mother" soon felt uncomfortable under the benevolent eyes of the lady in front of her. It was as if Natalie knew everything that was going on in her head, which was impossible, wasn't it?

Trying to hide how awkward she felt, the blond lady cleared her voice before asking her possible friend if there was something she could do for her. Natalie replied she wanted to extend her reservation, so Anna-Grace busied herself with the matter at hand. However, she could sense her client's heavy stare on her, which was extremely disturbing.

She glanced at her and noticed how the lady was eying her shaking hands, and Anna-Grace suddenly realized how she looked, from her hands to her messy bun. And because of Aliens?! Ashamed and embarrassed, Anna-Grace couldn't maintain the facade, and the smile fell. Who was Natalie Rushman to be so perspective AND show it? The blond lady focused on the paper, trying to busy herself with the extension instead on thinking about the mystery that was Natalie

\- « How is Bruce, Anna-Grace? »

Raising her head, Anna-Grace looked at Natalie. She was surprised at the compassion she saw in her client's - friend's ? - eyes. Usually, those soft eyes were reserved for Bruce. Not that Natalie ever seemed annoyed by the « mother », but Anna-Grace had quickly understood softness from the ginger lady was reserved for very special people, like Bruce.

Feeling even more troubled, Anna-Grace tried to hide those thoughts behind a "He's fine" and a smile, but her voice fell.

She gave a sidelong look at her client, who had a new openness around her. Which was really weird. How could someone show new openness just with her body?

\- « Bruce is fine. » she finally was able to say, continuing her business as if nothing had happened.

\- « And you? »

AG looked quickly at her client's face before continuing the extension. Natalie looked casual too, but she knew the question had not been meaningless…

\- « I'm alright, thank you. And you? »

Even to her ears, Anna-Grace knew she wasn't convincing at all. She still was surprised at what came next:

\- « Anna-Grace… »

Looking at her client, the look she received was clear: _don't pretend_.

\- « I do not mean to be intrusive, Anna-Grace, but you seem…upset. »

The blond woman didn't want to talk about aliens or boy being from the past, and the ginger one was obviously trying to be nice, so Anna-Grace opened her mouth to gently change subject. However, she didn't have time as Natalie added quickly and with a certain firmness:

\- « And I wish to help you if I can. »

It rendered Anna-Grace speechless. Had she lost the habit of having people caring about her? Or was Natalie just being indiscrete/careless? Because she couldn't remember her past friends ever acting like that….

\- « I will not leave until you tell me what's wrong. » warned Natalie.

\- « Why do you even care? » asked Anna-Grace, almost laughing. This was getting out of hands. What was going on? Who was this lady?

\- « Well, something's wrong, obviously. You cannot tell Bruce, and you didn't tell your friends, which means you don't know how to tell them because you fear their reaction. You need someone like me, who cares about you yet is not so close as to makes future meetings awkward. Who knows? It might even help our relationship, and help you figure out a way to tell your friends. »

There was some truth behind those words. Why not trust her? They got along well after all. She seemed nice enough anyway… And, strangely, she wasn't annoyed at this invasion in her privacy. Maybe because she knew that before Bruce, she would've been afraid maybe even terrorized at letting someone even guess what she felt or thought.

Finishing her papers for the extension, and presenting them to Natalie so she could check, but without looking at her, she offered her client a way out:

\- « It's complicated, you know… »

\- « So what? It would take time to explain? I have all day long! » answered Natalie, shrugging.

The ginger woman leaned against the counter, not even looking at the extension papers before sliding them back to Anna-Grace, displaying her trust.

 _Trust has to go both ways, right?_ thought Anna-Grace, putting the documents away. _And it's not like I had to reveal everything…_

Hesitantly, she began:

\- « It's about Bruce… »

Looking quickly at Natalie was enough to confirm she had her complete attention.

Without going too much into details, notably the not-so-legal parts, Anna-Grace started with an explanation on how Bruce had fallen into her care in an unorthodox way, that she had agreed to take care of him without knowing everything that happened to him. But the more she said, the more she wanted to reveal, drawn in by how Natalie listened, never interrupting her. Anna-Grace ended up saying how the more she knew, the less she felt adequate. She was coming to the part with the newspaper when she realized how stupid that sounded, and how she should've known a long time ago about aliens and superheros. She looked at Natalie, uncertain but the ginger lady then answered the unspoken question :

\- « It's the Aliens, isn't it? »

\- « What? »

\- « You thought you had imagined it all. You thought you were prepared for the worst because you already had at least faced it in your mind. And then you heard about the Aliens. The impossible happened and you're wondering when will it stop? How can I protect the one person I love most in those conditions? »

Anna-Grace couldn't talk again but this time it was out of astonishment. It would've been funny had she not felt so shaken up. How could Natalie read her mind like an open book, decipher it better than herself, and then say the bullet words that would cut through the lies? It was as if Natalie had found the loose thread of who Anna-Grace was, had pulled it only to knit her all again. And then the strange lady smiled in the sweetest way possible. She leaned over, like she was going to share one of the Universe's secrets, and Anna-Grace felt compelled to come closer. Still smiling, Natalie whispered:

\- « Anna-Grace, the thing about being a parent is that you're never ready for what comes next. And being a good one isn't about knowing when bad things will happen but how to handle it when it comes. »

This was not what Anna-Grace expected. She almost was disappointed.

\- « That's it? That's your solution? To wait here for everything to fall apart? For Bruce to be hurt? »

\- « No » was Natalie's calm answer. « You prepare Bruce for what is to come the best you can, which is by giving him unconditional love. »

\- « Really? Love? Like, the power of love? Isn't it a little bit cliché? We're not in a movie or a novel, Nathalie. » said Anna-Grace, bitterly. « Come on, in which world are you living in? Seriously? »

Natalie stayed silence, and only stared at her. She didn't look in the slightest offended by Anna-Grace's answer, nor did she seem hurt. Anna-Grace didn't know why, but this annoyed her to the point where she lashed out on her client. It certainly was unfair but the bitterness was too much to hold on. She ignored the small voice in her head that begged her not to do something that might cost her one of the only friends she had on this hearth, and she threw all her mixed feelings, her pain and fear and bitterness at the lady in front of her.

\- « News Flash, for you Natalie: we do not live in a fairy tale! You're not the wise friend whose advices change the storyline. Bruce is not the hero. I'm not the hero. I'm not strong, I'm not smart, I'm not an extraordinary person that solves all of her loved ones' problems. Trust me. I know. I lived it. I didn't help my family. I didn't help my friends. I'm not a hero, and I won't sacrifice myself for those I love. »

Anna-Grace stopped her rant, breathless, her heart pounding in her chest. Natalie was still there, staring at her, but instead of the reproaches Anna-Grace expected, Natalie only softly said:

\- « Really? You wont sacrifice your happiness for Bruce's? »

Anna-Grace dropped her gaze, looking at the counter instead of those eyes that seemed to see all. Natalie sighed, and said:

\- « Anna-Grace, come on. We both know the truth. »

The tone in her voice was soft, and Anna-Grace looked up. Natalie was smiling at her tenderly, and Anna-Grace realized she had revealed herself to the lady in a way she almost never did in her life. And Natalie wasn't mocking her, wasn't afraid of her - somehow this seemed impossible anyway - and wasn't repealed by her. They were still close, and Natalie kept staring at her, expecting something from her. She wasn't smiling anymore but there was still warmness in her stand.

Anna-Grace diverted her eyes and looked at her hands, entwined. Silence filled the air while Natalie waited patiently for the blond woman to ponder the words exchanged.

It was a strange situation, the one Anna-Grace suddenly find herself in. Natalie was waiting for an answer she already knew, but she wasn't just waiting for the words to be spoken. She was waiting for Anna-Grace to actually believe them. And Anna-Grace knew, somehow, that she could not give them lightly. Because not only was Bruce's happiness on the line, but Natalie's trust also was.

And it seemed as if all was mixed, as if Bruce's safety, his happiness, Anna-Grace's trust in her own confidence and her love for the child all needed Natalie's trust. Maybe it was so because to gain Natalie's trust needed a promise, when such promise was for Anna-Grace the first step. To be bound by her words was a requirement before she could believe in her capacity to love Bruce unconditionally, to love him no matter what happened to him, no matter what happened to their relationship, no matter if he was taken away form her.

Natalie was still waiting, and when Anna-Grace looked her friend in the eye, she could see how Natalie was daring and testing her at the same time. And surprisingly, it felt so simple for Anna-Grace, she was surprised it took her so long to realize it. She smiled softly, and said:

\- « You are right. I will love Bruce unconditionally. »

She had never, not even when she had said yes to the man who then destroyed her life, felt like she was taking an oath while stating a simple truth.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Secured text from Nat to the Cap. and Eye-Patch : « Everything is under control out here, Bosses. The lady's trust towards me is growing, and the boy loves me already. »

Eye-Patch's reply : « Good job Nat. Stay put. »

Cap's reply : « Glad to hear that Nat. Do you think we can trust her? »

Text from Nat to Cap : « I have no doubt about it. She fell in love with Baby Bruce and would do anything for him. »

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The nightmares had lessened and his mood had lightened because Bruce felt safe at Neverland. But then, the Christmas lights appeared, and all the bad thoughts and bad dreams came back.

On this Wednesday evening, Bruce had been siting at the living room's window for hours, watching those awful lights slowly illuminate the city. Last year, they were like a door open to fairytales, ready to pour out in his spirit tales of kings fighting to save their kingdom from everlasting darkness. But last Christmas had been a disaster and the lights only brought back the fear and sadness that had been his reality for so long.

However, looking inside the apartment towards Anna-Grace cooking in the kitchen was worse because it only reminded him of all that scared him, and above all the fear to lose her.

Closing his eyes, and sighing once more, he let his head rest on the cold window. In this false darkness, he focused on the sounds he heard : the cars outside, voices coming and going by, his heart beating, Anna-Grace's voice, Mommy humming…

Like a car wreck, Mommy's and Anna-Grace's lifeless faces flashed behind his eyelids. Suddenly opening them, he looked at the kitchen, almost certain to find his savior on the ground, red purring out of her head, like a memory that wasn't real, only to see the only person he trusted on this earth washing the dishes, blond hair, suds and smile tangled in an air of normality. He was so lucky to have met her and yet feared so much for her life…

She must've sensed something was wrong, again, because she stopped smiling at him and cut the flow of water. He diverted his eyes, looking at the book in his hands instead. He heard her wiping her hands and throwing the tissue on the table, before feeling her seating next to him. She cuddled him and said:

\- « I know it's been hard lately bambino, and I don't want to force things out of you, but I hate to see you like this. And I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. »

She was looking at him now, her hand on his cheek, her eyes looking right into his. She seemed so calm and certain as if fear could not hold its grip on her. She was surrounding him with a cloud of reassurance, and he knew she was reliable.

\- « I'm scared, AG. » he heard his voice say, and it was like a yoke had been lifted from his shoulder.

She said nothing, only took him on his lap, and he realized the Neverland he had been dreaming about was actually, right there, in her arms. Feeling better, his head on her chest, he listened to her slow heartbeat. With each beat, it was like a shot of understanding slowly surrounding him, then touching his bones through his skin. He closed his eyes, and let the understanding go deeper. As it touched his heart, Bruce felt like he was in the middle of a calm sea. And far far away, a typhon opened, a ship flying to the surface. Circling around the typhoon, a voice rose there, its tone shaking. The voice slowly said: **_I-I'm s-scared, too…_** Bruce was on an island. His toes and fingers locked into the sand, and his eyes closed, Bruce answered the voice from the ship: _I know_.

The ship was on the shore now, as if an other kind of understanding had been passed between the voice and him. A little green person was in front of him, sweet, small and scared. The voice came out of him and said: **_T-Tell her. She-she has a right to know. Be-better give her a chance to-to leave if she wan-wants to._**

 _Tell her what? About the dream? Or about you?_

 ** _…_** ** _b-both…_** finished the green boy, eyes filled with fear.

Bruce opened his eyes and looked at Anna-Grace. The sea was gone, as were the ship and the island. But the green boy was still there somewhere, as terrified as he was right now. So he told Anna-Grace about everything, and she never interrupted her. Not when he told her how sometimes he would have weird memories, that weren't really memories, or how he had nightmares. Nor when he told her about the voice, how it came when he had been scared at the carousel, and angry at the park. He then told her about how the voice belonged to a green boy in his head, and her arms tightened around him. Bruce felt his heartbeat quicken while the green boy got restless. They had a knot in their stomach, waiting for their savior to say something.

\- « W-What's » Anna-Grace began with a shaky voice before clearing her throat and saying « what's the voice's name, Bambino? »

 _What is you name?_ asked the child in his mind to the green boy.

Said boy replied with an uncertain answer, which Bruce delivered literally to Anna-Grace.

\- « He thinks it's Hulk? », she repeated, surprised and unsure to have heard it correctly. She had never felt so inadequate.

\- « It's what the voice said » her boy stated, looking at her.

\- « Well, then, hum, hi, Hulk. »

The green boy let out a small cry, and a peace Bruce didn't know to need replaced an anger he didn't know was there. He leaned closer to this strange lady, closing his eyes to see the green boy's face, mirror of what they both felt inside. He had to say it her, so he did:

\- « We love you, AG. »

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later that night, after Bruce - _and Hulk_ \- were in bed, Anna-Grace thought again about those revelations. She was in the shower, trying to assimilate all that happened. Nightmares about monsters. Hulk. A voice in his head. Hulk. Her heart decided it was enough thinking and went crazy, trying to beat as fast a train. Her shaking hands followed the rhythm, as did her uneven breath. Millions of questions spiraled in her head, all unanswered and all the more terrifying in front of her incompetence. She had to put her head in her hands, her back to the wall, to try to force her breath to a normal rhythm. But the rock band refused to stop the play, and she crashed on the shower's floor, defeated.

Her mind was blank, tears descending freely, at last. The only feeling left was terror for Bruce's future, and this terror was on a level she had never known in her life. She was familiar with the kind, of course, as it was the same she felt before the _incident_ with him. But even then, it had never jumped so high on the terror scale. But she understood why. After all, before the _incident_ , the Worst also meant a relief, even if she survived it and became a ghost of who she had been. But today, the Worst would not destroy her. It would destroy him, Bruce, her boy, and That she didn't know how to survive it. She didn't even know if she wanted to survive it, and at the same time, she didn't care. All she cared about was Bruce, and she was terrified of what could happen to him. She was terrified of the Worst happening to him. She was terrified because she didn't know what was the Worst.

It was only when the water started getting colder, thirty minutes later, that she realized how long she had been here. This was enough to shoot her out of her daze, and she left the bathroom to dress for the night. The numbness and the fatigue cooled the terror, but when she turned off the lights and lied in her bed, even that wasn't enough to stop her from thinking over and over about what Bruce had just revealed. She turned in her bed, and then turned over again, her thoughts a mess. She didn't know why she had answered Bruce the way she had, or even why she hadn't completely freak out about all of this in front of him. Sure, her hands would shake sometimes while she helped him put on his pajamas, her vision would blur while reading him a story, her breath would get uneven while kissing him good night, but overall, she was able to lie him down in his bed without falling down, passing out or screaming out. _Which was a good thing_ , she thought in her daze. Bruce certainly didn't need her to freak out. Not now that he had trusted her with such a news. _A little green boy in his head called Hulk…_ Remembering his face when Bruce had told her about the voice, remembering how terrified he had looked, Anna-Grace suddenly rolled over in her bed and put her head into her pillow. She hated how twisted her stomach became in front of Bruce's terror. She knew she was utterly lost. _Which strangely_ , she chuckled half bitterly, half mad, _makes things easier. In my situation, having Bruce with me was crazy. To discover that he's from 1974 was beyond understandable. Now, this is so out of even crazy that it makes sense. Of course he has weird memories, he's from 1974. And this Hulk is surely link to whatever happened to him. I mean, 1974. Something weird had to have happened. 1974. Hulk. A boy in his mind called Hulk. A voice in his mind called HULK!_

Rolling over once more, she looked at her ceiling, tears falling from her eyes at a slow and steady flow. The numbness was still there, clouding her jugements and thoughts, leaving her with this one thought : she was lost, she was caring for a little lost boy, and she loved him like she imagined she would've loved her baby. _There, said it, in the open. I love him like I loved my baby. So, now what?_

Indeed, now what? The terror was still there, under the tiredness and the numbness, and she knew it would be there the next day. But what could she do? She was so ill equipped to deal with a Bruce and a Hulk. She wasn't sure loving him, loving them, unconditionally would be enough, no matter what Natalie said. Anna-Grace only hoped it wasn't mental illness…

Drifting away, her thoughts mingling together as she was falling asleep out of exhaustion, Anna-Grace couldn't help but feel like she was missing something, something big. Something enormous even. Something having to do with B… scientists … science … sky … high … smash…Hulk… _Why does smash makes me think of Hulk?_ was her last conscience thought as she fell to the other side of consciousness.

* * *

I know it's kind of a twisted gift, but still, it had to end this way...

I hope you still enjoyed those chapters, tell me what you thought!


	15. Hulk

Hello everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful day!

Enjoy the new chapter, and please tell me what you thought of it!

* * *

 _Previously:_

Drifting away, her thoughts mingling together as she was falling asleep out of exhaustion, Anna-Grace couldn't help but feel like she was missing something, something big. Something enormous even. Something having to do with B… scientists … science … sky … high … smash…Hulk… _Why does smash makes me think of Hulk?_ was her last conscience thought as she fell to the other side of consciousness.

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

 **Hulk**

Hulk. Anna-Grace knew that name. She couldn't remember how or where she had heard about it, but she knew the name. And the feelings associated with it in her mind were not of the kindest sort : fear, uneasiness, _troubles_ … _The voice has to be another Hulk. It has to be. Bruce can't be involved with whatever that is… He can't…_ The prayer rang in her head since she had woken up. She had to verify. She had to make sure the voice had nothing to do with whatever she remembered.

So, after her first shift, Anna-Grace asked Rosie to teach Bruce an improvised drawing lesson, so she could herself use her friend's computer for researches away from young - and prying - eyes. Her face must've been pale enough, because Rosie cheerfully agreed while throwing a concern look at Anna-Grace when they exchanged keys. However, the blond woman was too scared to try to offer to Rosie more than a small smile before the lady took an oblivious Bruce to the apartment.

The « mother » then went to Rosie's room, a pit at the bottom of her stomach that wouldn't budge no matter how many times Anna-Grace told herself that she was just being extremely careful, and that her sickening foreboding was just her over-worrying. _It has to be nothing._

OOOOO

Once in the apartment with Rosie, Bruce started drawing. He was feeling much better now that he had said the truth to AG, as if she had allowed him to make peace with the voice, Hulk. He was even asking Hulk what he looked like, so Bruce could show him - he had asked, it definitely was a he - to AG.

OOOOO

She was in front of the computer, « hulk » taped on the Google research bar. Images and links presented in list, she could only stare at the first image of a giant green beast. The pit in her stomach had become an abyss.

OOOOO

He had started with the face, but it was quite difficult to make the hands. Asking Rosie, she taught him, but it took several tries before he was satisfied with the left green hand. Now onto the right.

OOOOO

Anna-Grace was feeling heavy. Looking on informations after informations on Bruce Banner aka the Hulk, panic was starting to rise in her chest as she discovered more and more about where her boy came from, and what he had been through. _Oh my God! Gamma radiations? What was he thinking?_ She then had focused on his pre-Hulk life, thinking it might be easier, less surprising but… From the few informations available online, she soon felt nauseas.

OOOOO

He had finished with the torso. Rosie showed him how to do feet, but it was really hard!

OOOOO

She had thought looking at his Hulk life would be easier, but it was awful. He had beaten up aliens! He had been involved with flying and murderous robots! Her heartbeat quickened drastically, and she had to take deep breaths to avoid a panic attack. He was involved with the Avengers, and was risking his life periodically! _What is wrong with him? Can't he be a normal selfish man?_

OOOOO

Yes! He had succeeded in drawing feet! Looking up at Rosie, he was excited to see her proud of him. She told him he should show his drawing to AG, she would be very proud! That was so cool!

OOOOO

Again, mistake. Clinking on the links to his former teammates was not proving calming. Between Tony Stark AKA Iron Man, Steve Rogers AKA Captain America and the alien Thor… Suddenly, she froze. Natasha Romanoff AKA the Black Widow… It couldn't be… She looked so much like… Swallowing with difficulty, she slowly clicked on the link…

OOOOO

Hulk was very proud of his drawing too, saying he thought he looked just like that!

OOOOO

She came back to the apartment, dizzy and nauseous. This was too much.

OOOOO

His heart light, he rushed to the door when AG entered home, eager to show her his new drawing skills. Except that when he looked at her, she was white as a ghost.

OOOOO

She couldn't think. He was looking at her, so beautiful, and…

OOOOO

Stopping a few feet from her, he couldn't help chills coming up his spine as Rosie loudly expressed her concern at how defeated Anna-Grace looked.

The thought that he did something wrong came to his mind, a reflex so much engrained in his brain it was hard to chase, but it was erased when…

OOOOO

Instinctively, she kneeled in front of her « son » and took him into her arms, trying to find comfort in his embrace.

OOOOO

She was holding him tight like Mommy used to when something really bad had happen, and other reflexes kicked in. Putting his arms around her neck, he put his head on her shoulder, trying to ease the tension from her shoulders with his tiny hands.

Nothing was said for a while, Bruce and Anna-Grace hugging, Rosie silently standing by.

Finally, the blond woman rose up, keeping her boy in her arms, one hand discreetly wiping off her silent tears.

\- "Well, Bruce, how was lunch with Rosie?" she tried to ask lightly.

Looking at her, unsure at her reaction, Bruce asked :

\- "AG?"

\- "It's okay, Bambino, it's okay. Just a little tired and all, but nothing you have to worry about" she answered, lightly tapping his nose.

He was still worried, but she was smiling now, even if her eyes were still teary. Thinking about something that could ease her, he suddenly remembered his drawing, and excitedly showed her:

\- "Look, AG, this is Hulk. Rosie helped me for the hands and the foots, but I did it all alone!"

His big smile was contagious. While correcting him on his vocabulary - feet, Bruce, not foots - she looked at the drawing… and froze. It was the Hulk, perfectly represented.

She knew that this was it. The last straw on the camel's back that would break her. The tears piled up, her heartbeat quickened, a dizziness crept in, she couldn't breath… when suddenly a voice was heard behind her :

\- "Um, excuse me, I knocked but no one heard…"

Turning around, Anna-Grace suddenly faced the Black Widow.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

In a couple of seconds, the spy had taken matters into her own hands.

In a daze, Anna-Grace watched the ginger lady delicately take a worried Bruce from her arms and whisper calm words to her baby and Rosie. She watched them leave the room after looking at her one last time, before the agent closed the door and turned to her. Still under the shock, she suddenly found herself sitting on her couch, the Black Widow by her side, smiling with compassion.

Anna-Grace had been through denial, then cold realization. The fear had turned into shock and the indecision had turned into frozen grief, preventing any rational decision-making.

Natalie's smiles unlocked Anna-Grace's feelings, and she crashed. She cried, helpless in front of all the conflicted emotions that raged inside, all originating from the painful discovery of Bruce's past and future. A small voice, the still conscious part of herself, was telling her she was crying a lot lately, but it was ignored as thoughts swirled inside her head. The woman sitting next to her remained silent, watching her cry out her grief.

But then, being in pain was more than she could handle. She had been in pain for too long; she had lost too much. It wasn't fair, and the grief transformed into anger - mainly at the world, but she had to direct it at someone, and that someone happened to be the lady by her side, the closest to receive her screams. That person could've been a friend, but had decided to lie instead. Anna-Grace used that small part of her overall extremely confused feelings to express her anger. She pretended this breach of trust and the disappointment over the deception was the reason behind her sudden madness, when she was just making Natalie...Natasha - however she was - the receiving end of all the pain and anger Anna-Grace truly felt inside.

Thus, pacing up and down in the living room, the lost woman yelled for she didn't know how long, forgetting the words spoken mere seconds after she pronounced them. The ginger lady never uttered a word, but watched her with eyes that shone too bright.

Finally, when Anna-Grace was exhausted by the succeeding emotions, standing empty and defeated with the coffee table between her and the spy she thought was her friend, all she could ask was :

\- "Why?"

The Avenger did not uttered a word, yet her eyes shone and she smiled with so much sympathy it hurt.

This stirred up Anna-Grace, who yelled :

\- "Why, Natalie, WHY!"

The Black Widow let the silence hang between them for some extremely long seconds, leaving Anna-Grace anxious, before saying:

\- "Sit, Anna-Grace, or you're gonna fall to the ground."

The voice had been deceptively soft and kind, the frank words left the blond woman breathless. She crumbled on the chair behind her while the spy went to the kitchen to fetch tea. Watching her finding effortlessly the cups and tea leaves, Anna-Grace realized her client had already been into her appartement, thus never really left her and Bruce alone. A pang of betrayal hit her - again - but then the ginger lady smiled at her with confidence, almost like she was going to wink at her. Anna-Grace suddenly realized Natasha - not Natalie the client but Natasha the Black Widow - never made a move that had not been carefully calculated hundreds of time. This precise act had been chosen exactly so that Anna-Grace would understand how Bruce and she had never ever been left to their own poor devices. Natasha came to sit by her side, and the strange lady finally said what Anna-Grace needed to hear :

\- "You are not alone in this, Anna-Grace. We're here to help."

Anna-Grace could have screamed, cried, or stormed out. All those options came to her mind in a flash, but then a wave of tiredness fell on her, immobilizing her on her spot. She was young but felt so old, she had seen her share of complicated situations yet felt so inadequate... All she could do was sigh. However, her physical and intellectual surrender allowed the words Natasha had spoken to pierce the fog she was in, calming her.

Anna-Grace nodded and took the cup of tea from Natasha's hands, waiting for her to set the tone. She was too tired to even think about what to say. With sympathy and not in the slightest hint of being phased, Natasha went to sit on the couch, then explained in a calm voice what had happened to Bruce Banner, and why, they thought, he was a little boy. Anna-Grace nodded as she listened, taking in what her boy had been through, and noting once more how he had so little concern for his own safety and life. The spy finished her story and added, with a tone leaving no space for arguments:

\- "I'm sorry, Anna-Grace, for lying to you. But we weren't even sure your boy was our Bruce, and what were your intentions."

They looked each other in the eye while Natasha continued with a gentler tone:

\- "And we didn't even know who you were."

Swallowing with difficulty, Anna-Grace answered, her voice barely audible :

\- "And now?"

\- "We know who you are, Anna-Grace Williams" the ginger lady answered honestly, still looking her in the eye. "And we know" she said with a kind voice, "I know you love Bruce, and only want the best for him."

Unable to keep looking at the spy, Anna-Grace diverted her stare, looking at the steaming tea in the cup she was gripping.

\- « What if we disagree on what is best for him? » she whispered.

\- « Then we will talk about it. » Natasha answered with her peaceful voice. "You will be included in all of the decisions, now, Anna-Grace." she added, taking a sip of her tea.

\- "Really?" asked younger woman, suddenly looking at the lady in front of her, incredulous.

\- "Mmm, hmm." assented the SHIELD agent, looking like the perfect image of tranquility.

\- "Why?"

\- "Because he trusts you. And right now, Bruce Banner is a little boy who needs a home." answered Natasha casually. "Besides, there are still some details that need clarification."

At Anna-Grace's confused look, the Avenger explained herself. After all, considering what the blond woman already knew, there was no point in hiding this from her. And it would be far easier to work with her than against her.

\- "We do not know if Bruce can hulk out."

\- "Hulk out?" answered Anna-Grace in a high pitch.

\- "Even if the fact that he hears a voice called Hulk is not a good sign" sighed Natasha, not minding the other lady's growing distress. "But we'll deal with this in good time. Let's not worry about what we have no control on, shall we?" she added, looking at Anna-Grace, amused.

The 'mother' gulped. She didn't know if this composure was faked so as to calm her, or if it really was what Natasha was feeling, but either way, it was scary.

\- "We'll deal with it together, won't we?" the Black Widow finished, smiling tenderly at the woman in front of her.

Anna-Grace could only nod, but this was enough of an answer for Natasha who finished her tea in a serene silence. Strangely, this sight allowed Anna-Grace to stop for a second and analyse. She had, as much as she could, come around the news, and some of her worries had been answered. She at last could try to untangle her mixed thoughts and feelings. The ones to emerged meant relief because finally she knew what was happening. It was crazy, but it made sense, and she would not be alone in dealing with whatever aftermaths life threw at her. And for the first time in forever, her husband was no threat to her, and most important, to those she loved, considering who was by her side.

She suddenly relaxed, releasing the tension she accumulated all of those years. It reminded her of the first time she had passed a state border without her husband while fleeing from him. Finally, some of the danger had been avoided. A step had been taken towards something better.

As she was assessing the past events leading up to discovering who Bruce really was and her own reactions - while comparing it to the events and reactions that led her to escape her husband - she suddenly remembered with shame her hysteria and unfairness towards Natasha, the woman who had helped her so much.

\- "I'm sorry for the way I acted" she whispered.

\- "Why that?" Natasha gently answered. "You were shocked, that's natural. I would've been more worried had you not reacted the way you did." she added casually.

\- "But you were so cool, and I-" replied Anna-Grace, before being cut off by Natasha.

\- "You're not me, Anna-Grace. I'm a trained assassin, a SHIELD agent and an Avenger. Dealing with stressful and complicated situations literally is my job. You're a normal woman who had a rough day, that's all."

Remembering the little she had read on Natasha, Anna-Grace could only agree - and shiver at what she had read the woman was capable of. Looking at the ginger lady, she tried to find a way to address this, but was rendered speechless when she looked her ex-client in the eye. _Can I really talk about this? To say what? She was an assassin, but now is an Avenger?_ This was getting a little too much for her again, and Natasha smiled, sympathetic again. Suddenly, offering her hand for a shake, the lady said :

\- "Let's start over, shall we? My name is Natasha Romanoff, AKA the Black Widow and an Avenger. But you can call me Nat."

\- "Anna-Grace Williams" said Anna-Grace, sizing the opportunity offered to start over, and relieved at how the lady in front of her had solved the issue without even addressing it.

But then this seemingly complete honesty between them caused her to pause. She had to address it, no matter how uncomfortable it felt, didn't she? _It's one thing to not worry about it, it's an other to not warn them…_ She thus hesitantly said:

\- "What about…"

But her concern had been futile, because the Black Widow was apparently following the current of her thoughts, and quickly eased her fears.

\- "Your husband?" she said, and at Anna-Grace's surprised yet anxious nod, nonchalantly continued: "He's in Europe right now, thinking he's gonna find you out there."

Chuckling, Nat finished:

\- "as if"

\- "What do you mean, 'as if'?" said Anna-Grace, uncertain.

\- "Anna-Grace, even if we didn't like you, do you really think we would've left your husband circle around you, thus risking Bruce's safety?"

 _Of course, that's logical_ thought Anna-Grace, embarrassed, but at the same time relieved. _At least that's out of the picture now. One less thing to_ _to be scared of._ Until Natalie's choice of word came back to her. _Wait a minute! Like?_ Her confusion, like all of her past feelings, must've been clear for Natasha because the ginger lady was looking at her tenderly now. Blushing, Anna-Grace diverted her stare again. Clearing her throat, she asked, trying to direct the conversation elsewhere :

\- "What now?"

\- "We finish our tea before going to fetch Bruce who must be worried sick. You will continue your day as usual, I will call my boss, and then we'll see."

Looking at Natasha, Anna-Grace was a little bit surprised at such a casual answer considering she had discovered what must be one of the most guarded secret on earth - that the Hulk was now a vulnerable little boy. Her surprise was once again clearly evident because suddenly Natasha laughed.

\- "What, did you think we would take you and Bruce to hide you in some secret dark room?" she teased her.

Anna-Grace blushed, remembering the thought had come to her mind. Clearing her throat, she said :

\- "Well, what did you expect? It's been an intensive morning."

Laughing, the ginger lady replied it indeed had been, easing the remaining tension in Anna-Grace's body. The day unfold as **Natasha** had said. They finished their tea, went to fetch Bruce - who was immensely relieved his favorite lady on earth was alright, even more so when she was able to tell him everything was fine - and, as it always does when terrible events erupt, life went on.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Natasha asked Steve and Nick to meet. She explained how events had quickly escalated, and played the recording of her talk with Anna-Grace. In the tiny room in Neverland, Fury and Rogers stood still while Romanoff sat by the recorder. When she stopped it, her bosses digested the news in silence, Natasha observing them.

\- "Captain?" asked Fury, letting him start with his observations.

\- "Miss Williams is taking the news quite well…" answered Steve, unwilling to let them know exactly what he thought.

\- "Mmm." agreed Fury, pensive and secretive, as always.

None were willing to divulgue their personal opinion, and seconds dragged on until Steve decided to ask Natasha what her conclusion was.

\- "We wait." was the quick answer.

Her bosses nodded, and she went on:

\- "She's still under shock, even if we eliminated potential panic reactions. As to what our next actions should be, the variables are still the same : whether or not Tony can find a solution and whether or not Bruce can hulk out."

There was no denying the evidence. So, on that evening, after her bosses left, unseen to mere mortal eyes, Natasha talked to Anna-Grace to let her know about what had been finally decided : Anna-Grace Williams could stay at Neverland with Bruce but was asked not to reveal a single thing to the child.

For what should have become a disaster, Natasha felt for once at ease about this ordeal. Everything went south, but then had come back, and Natasha knew she was in control - as much as she could be. She could imagine every scenario, had imagined this impossible one, and had reacted as planned. Tonight, she really deserved her glass of Bordeaux.

However, the true unsolved problem of the secret meeting could be seen in what remained undisclosed : Natasha hadn't said a word to Anna-Grace about Tony's researches, or about their contingency plans in case Bruce hulked out. And if Steve, Nick and Natasha told themselves it was to avoid severing the already fragile trust between the young woman and the Avengers, they knew they acted as such to avoid hurting the woman they were all starting to care about, the woman that gave to a lost boy what they all wished they could have received.


	16. In A Lab Not So Far Away

Hello everyone!

I hope you're all doing well! Thanks to those that followed the story, and a specific thank you to Guest, I love your reviews! Believe me, there're never too long! I'm glad you liked the last chapter :)

And here is the new one, I hope you'll all enjoy it despite its shortness.

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

 **In A Lab Not So Far Away**

\- "She knows."

The heavy silence settled in the room, like snow in winter that slowly gathers until it becomes almost impossible to move. Tony had no idea what Steve was talking about, but the way the Captain had entered his lab with worry floating around like dark clouds was enough to unnerve even the Iron Man.

What was with that behavior anyway, entering a room and gazing with eyes that did not see, making you feel invisible? Like Tony cared! He just couldn't take bad news anymore. Not now, considering his actual state of mind. To think he, Tony Stark, was desperate… Man, how he hated that word in his vocabulary… He was not supposed to feel like this! Not with Pepper upstairs in the Tower, ready to join him for lunch, not with his dear robots and Junior communicated in secret codes on the best methods to keep him alive! He wasn't supposed to feel lonely…

But.

It seemed 'but' always found its way in his life. The truth was, Bruce wasn't by Tony's side. He was gone, and all the researches the billionaire genius had led to bring his friend back were useless. Completely, utterly, useless… The studies on the machine were going nowhere, the papers filed with equations and scattered on the ground of the lab were mostly garbage. And the running experiments would probably fail like it always did. Tony might as well pronounce the time of death; he would never see his friend again…

However, the Iron Man couldn't admit his failure to anyone. So, when Junior had warned him Steve was in the hallway and coming to the lab, the genius had pretended to be working. He just couldn't appear defeated in front of the great Captain America.

But Steve had come in, and the sickening feeling in Tony's guts had suddenly felt like a monster trying to eat his insides.

\- "She knows," the Captain had said.

And here Tony was, not knowing who "she" was, but knowing he would not like it.

\- At Tony's confused look, Steve explicated: "Anna-Grace Williams."

\- "Knows what?" asked Tony, still unclear on the reason behind Steve's obvious distress, but certain that this definitely wasn't good.

\- "About who Bruce really is."

 _She knows? How? Is Bruce alright? What are we doing now? What did she do?_ The thoughts ran through his head in less than a fraction of a second, but one concern rose above the others:

\- "Has she told anyone?"

Steve nodded no.

\- "Is she going to tell anyone?" asked Tony

\- "According to Nat, no."

\- "So it makes Bruce's protection easier. We won't have to kidnap or explain anything to the kid," pointed out a somewhat relieved Tony, at which Steve nodded his assent. "Then why do you look like someone stole Christmas?!" exclaimed the brown man.

\- "Bruce hears a voice in his head."

Tony would've sworn his heart missed a beat.

\- "The voice said its name was Hulk."

 _Oh by all geniuses…_ Looking each other in the eye, Steve and Tony didn't have to talk to share their trepidation. Hulk was out there, and he wasn't asleep… The dreadful possibly of a Hulk transformation was now more than ever conceivable.

\- "You need to call for a meeting and take a decision, Cap. If Bruce can hulk out, we have to be absolutely sure he will be safe and won't hurt anyone around him."

Steve nodded but remained silent. Tony insisted, not believing he was the one saying the words:

\- "We need to meet and plan, Steve."

\- "He's just a child, Tony," replied Steve, looking defeated.

\- "Exactly. He might be more unstable than the grown up Bruce Banner. We need to think about safety nets for him, and the ones he loves, or …" Tony trailed off, an urgency in his tone he wasn't really sure he understood.

\- "Alright, alright! I'll set up a meeting," said Steve, exasperated. He suddenly looked pensive and added, on a more firm and definitive tone, "I'll set up a meeting."

Steve's body showed a new resolution, his soldier stance clear, and Tony suddenly realized the super soldier had scared him. He himself had almost given up on Bruce, but he was Tony Stark. He never thought of himself as a good friend. However, Steve was the living cliché of the "perfect buddy". One only had to think about the Winter Soldier to see that Steve Rodgers never stopped believing in you. He was their Captain. What would they do if Steve stopped hoping?

Steve must've sensed all of this, because he sighed and gave an apologetic smile.

An awkward silence stayed between them until Tony said, trying to ease the atmosphere:

\- "Come on, Capsicle, what are you still doing here?"

Steve signed and left, but he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes.

With a newfound determination, Tony wiped his sweat and went back to work, focusing on the thought that he had to do the best he could for his friend. And knowing how smart he was, how could his best not be the best?


	17. Aftermath

Hello dear readers!

Thank you Guest for your reviews. I'm glad to see I'm improving! Haha, a mini cutie hulk? Wall, I cannot spoil you the story, you'll have to wait and see ;)

Now, here is the new chapter, hope you'll enjoy it!

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

 **Aftermath**

"Now I'm here suddenly I see

Standing here it's all so clear

I'm where I'm meant to be"

Rapunzel

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Peter!"

"Do not 'Peter' me!"

"Come on! You can't be serious!"

"Rosie, I could not be more serious, even if I tried! Do yourself some good, and think about the facts: it will be Bruce's birthday. It has to be perfect, so we must plan. To rely on a 'maybe I know a clown, put it on the list' is not planning, it is wishing. I will have nothing to do with this!"

"You're just scared of clowns, admit it!"

"It has nothing to do with my personal fears and feelings! Even if I was afraid of clowns, which I'm not, I would not let it cloud my judgment. You should try it sometime!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"What's that supposed to mean?! Maybe that…"

Anna-Grace stopped listening to the angry conversation at that point, acknowledging she would indeed never know what 'that' was supposed to mean. From where she stood, leaning on the counter of her new kitchen, the loss seemed benign compared to one she couldn't forget. She didn't like how vulnerable it made her, but she missed Natalie and the life she had had before knowing the truth about Bruce. Natasha on the other hand…

Anna-Grace sighed as she remembered their conversations after The Discovery. As the ginger lady had made it clear, Anna-Grace was not to act on her newfound knowledge. Not that she really knew what to do with it - and she would rather have it buried somewhere in the corners of her mind - but how do you act « normally » around an ex-professional murderer? Oh, there was no doubt in the blonde's mind that she could trust the spy with Bruce's life, which was the only thing that truly mattered. But still, the Avenger remained a mystery…

If only that! But there was something else, something Anna-Grace only admitted with shame. She was intimidated. She felt insecure. Sure, Natasha liked her—she had made it clear—and Anna-Grace liked to think it was true. But still… She was only… Anna-Grace. And Natasha was Natasha! The Black Widow! The first female Avenger! How was one supposed to compete against « that »?

Such thoughts weren't pleasant ones, and the « mother » had needed something, anything, to distract her. Almost as a dare to those Avengers that lied to her and wanted to control her life, Anna-Grace had decided—without telling Natasha, even if it probably didn't really change much—that Bruce's actual date of birth was not in the « newfound knowledge she was not supposed to act upon » category. She had thus fixed her mind on offering Bruce the greatest birthday she was almost certain he never had.

It hadn't been difficult to bring Peter and Rosie along with her plans, and their first decision had been the date. They had agreed on the 21st of September, 3 days after Bruce's birthday but only 4 from today. Anna-Grace thought this perfect: not much time meant no time to think about Natasha.

So here she was, observing Rosie and Peter planning an event in an extremely short span of time, while Bruce was taking a much needed nap.

"You've just been hell bent on rejecting all my ideas since the beginning, Peter! What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?! Ha, nothing—except the fact that I had to listen to you for the past half hour throwing me worthless pieces of your mind!"

"Worthless pieces of my mind?"

"Well, I cannot possibly call them ideas!"

"You stupid man! So focused on your own little person, you can't see other peoples' point of view!"

"Really? I have been more than patient, Rosie! Look at this list! Look at it! I wrote down more ideas than deserved to be written down, but I did it because, despite your lack of minimum politeness, I do know you deserve basic respect…"

"You call that respect? Seriously? Insufferable old man!"

"Old? Well that does say something about you…"

Rosie's loud exclamation brought Anna-Grace back to the land of the living. Looking at Peter's slightly shameful face and Rosie's angry one, she couldn't help but chuckle at the show in front of her eyes. To think that before Bruce, she would've been scared out of her mind, fearing any sort of conflict even if it had nothing to do with her… These not-so-young people had found a place in her life, as if they had always belonged by her side. It felt…secure. Even with the Natasha situation.

At this last thought, Anna-Grace allowed herself a small peaceful smile despite the nagging feeling of fear. She was indeed growing, she thought, and it all was thanks to her sweet and openhearted baby boy. Because of him, she was rediscovering what trust and home meant together, and how easy it was to get used to it. She could allow herself to act as she wanted to, with no fear of the aftermath… So she did just that, interrupting the conflict with a teasing voice before it went to proportions it couldn't go back from:

"C'mon, Rosie, don't insult Peter, he's my landlord and my boss, I have a legal obligation to stand by his side in any future lawsuit against you!"

"Well, the tyranny does have to stop one day," answered a sarcastic and slightly offended Rosie.

Before Peter could offer some snapping comment of his own, Anna-Grace added:

"And Peter, please be nice. I need Rosie. She's the cheapest teacher I could have found for Bruce!"

At that weak argument, Peter let go of a smile with the corner of his mouth, and Rosie, while she remained silent, wriggled her eyebrows at him with playful eyes.

"Right, Bruce. I guess I can make an exception for him."

His eyes were on Rosie, and Anna-Grace suddenly thought he looked like a man in love. Rosie might've had the same idea because she coughed lightly, her teasing eyes looking at the table she was sitting at for a split second before coming back to Peter's face. The man suddenly looked at the list of ideas he had written down, looking embarrassed and wrote down another item, saying:

"I guess we could always have some balloons tied up around the ceiling. A room does look happier with balloons."

"Thank you, Peter. But you are right, using helium might be a little bit over the top," answered Rosie in a restrained and professional voice that did not sound like hers.

"A little bit," murmured Peter into his beard, incredulous.

It broke the weird tension that had hung in the room for the last minute, and Rosie opened her mouth, ready to snap at the man in from of her. However, the chuckle Anna-Grace couldn't suppress was enough to make Bruce's teacher hold her tongue, and Peter's corner smile brought a similar one to his partner in crime's face.

Words were left unsaid and Anna-Grace decided her friends needed privacy. Even though she was certain they would not use the solitude she gave them to say the words that hung in the air, she left for Bruce's bedroom, a very small and very private smile of tenderness on her face.

Once by Bruce's sleeping form, she observed her « son ». Passing her hand through his hair, she mused at how at peace he looked while asleep. Letting her thoughts drift again, Natasha came to her mind. However, for once, the subject didn't bring tension but peaceful wondering. _Should I invite her to Bruce's birthday? He would love it… And he's feeling more and more confident around her…_

That thought brought back Anna-Grace's knot in her stomach. After all, to invite Natasha into her little circle was not a step she could come back from. It was acknowledging Bruce's past and all the baggage that came with it. But letting Rosie and Peter in was the right move, no matter the danger that came with it. _My life and Bruce's life are better because of it. Maybe letting people in isn't always the source of danger… And let's not even talk about letting Bruce in._ Why should all this ordeal worry her so much? After all, at least now she knew Natasha was trustworthy. She was an Avenger!

It was then that all her insecurities came back like a boomerang, leaving her breathless as if she had taken a punch in her stomach. _Natasha is an Avenger._ And who was she? _I'm afraid to lose him_ , realized the young woman, embarrassed. _What? They won't steal him from me, will they?_

Silence was the only answer she received, and she remembered, more accurately than before, that her Bambino shouldn't to be a little boy. Bruce Banner was supposed to be an adult, a grown up, an Avenger… The Black Widow was worthy of his company, she was his equal… Who was little and insignificant Anna-Grace, compared to them? _I definitely hate his job!_ she couldn't help but think. As uneasiness started to root into her heart, Bruce woke up. If he was surprised to see her by his side, it didn't last, and he only murmured, half asleep:

"AG?"

"Yes, Bambino?" she answered, smiling, burying all her doubts once more in a pit of her mind. Natasha could be rotting in hell right now for all she cared. Her baby was all that mattered at the present time.

He looked at her for a couple of seconds before saying:

"I've been thinking."

"About what, my love?"

"About a house. For my ducks. They don't have one…"

"Mhmm."

"Do you think I can ask Peter to help me build one?"

"I'm sure he would love to help, Bruce," she answered lightly.

Bruce nodded, looking content, and cuddled near her. She continued stroking his hair, feeling peacefulness fill her again while he woke up slowly, lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, he said, frowning:

"Are Rosie and Peter at home?"

Hiding her surprise at this reminder of Bruce's excellent hearing—when she herself could only hear whispers—she chuckled and assented, hoping the not-couple wasn't talking about the surprise party. She asked the boy if he wanted to go to meet them, at which he agreed with a nod, coming to sit on her lap with his head against her shoulder, still sleepy.

She went to the kitchen, all stressful thoughts forgotten for the evening as the boy in her arms was warmly welcomed by Peter and Rosie. Small talk—yet pleasant—was made, and at one point, dinner had to be cooked. Rosie got up before Anna-Grace could protest, saying that she wanted to prepare a special recipe for them. As Peter argued this would be a terrible idea and Rosie answered by throwing at him the towel she had in her hands, Anna-Grace started feeling gracefulness. _This is home…_ Rosie couldn't hide her smile at Peter's complaints, prompting the Neverland owner to tell the Lorien family the story of Rosie's first meal for him, which had been a total disaster, indeed. Laughter was heard, not the last ones that evening. At one point, Bruce asked Peter to help, and they started drawing plans for the house with Rosie behind the pencil. Anna-Grace's gracefulness turned into strength.

Later that night, when Bruce was in bed and her friends were gone, Anna-Grace was left to ponder on that evening. Drinking tea offered by Rosie, sitting in the rocking chair in her bedroom, a book opened on her lap but unread, she remembered how afraid she had been to let Rosie and Peter into her life, and how stupid it sounded to her now. Sure, Natasha was another piece of cake, but trust was not an issue. _Besides, you always liked her company before The Discovery. Sure, you're feeling a little insecure, but that's neither here nor there. Bruce needs her in his life, you know that. You might not fully comprehend it, but it's the truth. Bruce's needs are all you should care about._

There was still fear without real joy when she made her decision, but there was peace. She was going to invite Natasha to Bruce's birthday. For once in her life, she wasn't going to choose the easy way out of doing what was right.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Bruce was happy. In the midst of all the strange things happening to him, the weirdest of all was that he was happy, wasn't afraid to be, and was excited about what each day could bring.

Sure, telling AG about all of it hadn't made his problems go away. But he wasn't afraid anymore. AG hadn't run away, she wasn't scared of Hulk, and he was happy.

Bruce was currently in his bed, and it was the morning. He had woken up to Anna-Grace singing in the kitchen while cooking breakfast. He indeed was happy. Hulk was happy, too, and Bruce knew it to be new. Hulk had been fear, distress, and anger before. But he never had been happiness.

At the same time, Bruce had to concede Hulk probably never had so much fun. Yesterday alone, Rosie had taught them how to paint with his fingers after Anna-Grace had given him clothes made especially to be dirty. Peter had brought him to a « junk food restaurant » where he had learned what "junk food" was and that he liked it a lot. They all went to the Park, where he played with Nathan and Tommy. And … and finally, the best part of the day, AG had tucked him into bed and read him stories. Falling asleep to her voice telling stories and awaking in the morning to her voice singing was Hulk's favorite part. Bruce loved it, too. He wasn't scarred of nightmares anymore because whenever he had one, he only had to call AG before she appeared by his side, if she wasn't already there when the nightmare ended. And then, either in his bed or tucked by her side in hers when nightmares had been pretty bad, he would always fall asleep to her singing voice.

It seemed like no matter what happened, she would always sing to him and Hulk.

He was so happy.

Well, maybe there was that tiny thing that worried him. He had noticed how Anna-Grace seemed to be hiding things from him, leaving him with Rosie or Peter for weird reasons. And Rosie, Peter, and Natasha were hiding things from him, too. And even yesterday, at the Park, Cherry had given him weird looks. He didn't really like it. It made him feel weird. Like something bad was about to come up. He couldn't help but wonder if AG had told everyone about what was wrong with him, and was warning them about him. But no, that was stupid, she was still there, and so were Peter and Rosie. They weren't different, the way adults sometimes were after talking to Dad. AG, Peter and Rosie were just hiding something from him.

 ** _So, do we trust them? Is it safe to trust them?_** That was a good question. But Bruce decided it also was a stupid question. Hadn't they just decided how happy they were with AG? They had never been so happy. AG liked them, he was sure of that. After all, she had had plenty of occasions to decide he was crazy and dangerous. She never ran away. She stayed and made them so happy. She was trustworthy, he was sure of it. _**But, then, what are they hiding?**_ That, Bruce didn't know. _But I don't care. Sure, AG is hiding something from us. But she took care of us. She likes us. She wouldn't want to hurt us. So, she must have a reason, a good reason. She is too nice to hurt people._

Both Hulk and Bruce could agree on that. And since AG was too nice to hurt people she didn't care about, how much would she not do to people she did care about?

It was on that happy thought that Anna-Grace arrived and he rushed out of bed to have breakfast. There was so much to do and think of, Bruce forgot about his morning doubts and the peace that had come with the conclusion of his and Hulk's reflections. Thus, he didn't notice how the little green boy in his mind retreated under the sea, feeling safe and sound enough to leave Bruce and Anna-Grace for now.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A couple of days later, that trust had transformed into adoration. Bruce had always been close to that, but those with eyes to see mused over how Bruce's own eyes looked at Anna-Grace with something akin to worship. From what Natasha knew about Bruce's history, and even what Rosie had gathered, it didn't surprise them. What was unexpected was how completely oblivious Anna-Grace seemed to be to the change, even though her actions were the reason behind it. _Or maybe it's not so surprising. Only such an obviousness, that would think it natural to plan two surprise birthdays and not be able to imagine it any other way. Only this could lay down Bruce's heart at her feet_ , thought Natasha as she left a waving, if somewhat sleepy, Bruce at his front door after the second successful birthday party.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The first birthday had taken place on the 18th of December. Bruce had realized it was the date of his birth, but had not thought much of it. It wasn't as if this date was meant to be celebrated or even liked.

But that evening, Bruce could tell something was off. Really off. Rosie and Peter weren't there, even though it was Friday night. AG had let him in the bath alone, rushing to the kitchen instead of playing with him. But hearing his angel sing from the kitchen, Bruce felt all of the tension inside him dissipate.

"I love it when she sings," whispered the little boy to his ducks, as a secret they would never reveal.

Playing with them, he soon forgot about his suspicions, the bathroom flooded from all of the naval battles from which his ducks survive—or died and came back from the dead.

So, he only grinned when Anna-Grace came back to fetch him for dinner—asking him, "having fun with your friends, are you, Bambino?"— while skillfully avoiding the ponds and listening with great interest to how Blue duck and Red duck had saved Green duck from a most certain "big, big danger".

Following their routine, they ate dinner. Bruce was so engaged in his stories—about Rosie's lessons at this time—that he didn't notice his « mother » taking something from the oven until it hit his nostrils. Stopping short in what he was saying, he looked, eyes opened wide. There was cake in front of him, with five candles on top, and Anna-Grace lighted them, their flames dancing in front of his eyes. It was only when she sat by his side, and sung with her wonderful voice a sweet and soft « happy birthday » that he started crying. It was his birthday. Mom wasn't there for that and he missed her. But Dad wasn't there to ruin it, and he wasn't afraid anymore. Anna-Grace wanted to surprise him. She wanted to celebrate the day he was born, as if it was a happy day. She thought, she believed it was a happy day because she loved him. AG didn't have to hide how much she loved him, and meant every soft word she had for him. He had blown the candles, but his tears were falling free now, he couldn't help it, he didn't care if he looked weak, he knew his hero would understand. She was like Mom, she would know how happy he was.

And Anna-Grace did understand. She took her baby on her lap, rocking him, soothing him, sharing soon his tears. What greater happiness for a mother than to offer her child what he was so unjustly deprived of?

It took some time, but soon enough, Bruce's tears calmed down on Anna-Grace's lap. When the only traces of his breaking down were the occasional hiccups, the blond lady softly asked her favorite boy if he wanted to blow the candles once more. At his affirmative nod, she slid the cake near them, lighted the candled again, and when Bruce blew his five candles with a kind of smile she had never seen, it told Anna-Grace she had done the right thing.

"Happy Birthday, Bruce. May this new year of yours be filled with joy," she whispered into his ear, as he leaned on her in response, fighting tears and almost dizzy with emotions.

The lady left the cake untouched, as if she understood Bruce's reticence to cut it. It sure looked beautiful, with the five candles on top of it. Thinking this was all, the little boy was extremely astonished when his angel continued with the surprises:

"Now, Bambino, why don't you go fetch me what's in the bag by the door?" she said, pointing at a grocery bag leaning on the kitchen door.

Bruce looked at Anna-Grace, surprised, but her corner smile betrayed her excitement. Wondering what on earth could make her so excited, he went to the grocery bag and looked inside. There, laid in colorful rows, were three packages. Each one was wrapped in paper adorned with birthday ducks and gifts. Taking the packages, he looked at AG, unsure if this was what she wanted. _Could it be… No, it can't…_ His heartbeat quickened, as he looked at what was in his hands. He looked at AG again, who must've sensed his doubts, because she only giggled and told him to come to the table to open his gifts. She was grinning, looking at him the way she looked at him when he did something she thought was adorable—which was often, he had to admit, even if he didn't always understand why—her foot tapping on the floor, unresting. She had called the packages « gifts ». They were gifts. For him. She had bought gifts for him, for his birthday.

Pressing the packages against his chest, Bruce slowly came to the table, before sitting on his seat, the gifts in front of him. He didn't dare open them. He was too excited. He also was too scared. The last time he had opened a gift had been a disaster. _But last time, Dad was there_ , thought Bruce. _And he is not here anymore_ , he added with relief. Anna-Grace was there, and she was happy to be, and would not be mad at him for opening presents.

Deciding he had wasted enough time fearing something that wasn't there anymore, Bruce suddenly tore apart the paper, excited to discover what was hidden underneath.

Staring at the beautiful books, he felt his smile grow, his chest feeling so light he might fly to the ceiling, just like in that movie with the nice babysitter. How could he, Bruce Banner, deserve so much happiness?

He looked up at Anna-Grace's face, a thousand "thank you"s on the lips. But she was looking at him with that look in her eyes that Mum had had sometimes: the tiny smile that can't disappear but cannot grow, the eyes opened wide and battling eyelids sending any tear away. The one that said she was sad to be so happy. So he decided to do what he always did in such a case. He diverted his hero, to not let the sadness sink in her.

Lifting up his books, he said with enthusiasm:

"Thank you so much Anna-Grace! Can you read me a story now?"

His question made his angel laugh, chasing the sadness away.

"Maybe we could eat the cake first, Bambino," she answered with dancing eyes.

Bruce' belly suddenly rumbled, and he realized he did have room for some more. His thought path must've been obvious to his savior, because she laughed even louder and served him a generous portion. Laughing with her, the little boy attacked his slice. He didn't remember ever eating such a good cake.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"How did it go?" Natasha had asked.

"You don't know?" Anna-Grace had answered, surprised.

"I didn't listen. It was your moment."

The "mother" had been touched by the trust Natasha gave her, and reassured to see her privacy respected. Maybe Natasha had been lying, but Anna-Grace would rather be wrong and trust the spy, than be right and suspicious. It was too tiring to suspect the ginger lady.

So, after inviting the spy to Bruce's second birthday party, the blond lady had told how the first one had been a success. After the dessert, Anna-Grace and Bruce had taken turns reading the stories from the books she had offered him, him reading a story about ducks, then her reading a story about math and numbers, and so on. He had fallen asleep in the middle of one about Georges Washington, his tiny frame wrapped around his gifts, his messy hair and restful face a sight to behold.

The sad note in Anna-Grace voice when she had talked about Bruce's surprise and joy in front of the cake and the gifts didn't go unnoticed by Natasha. Nor did the fiery in the mother's voice when she finished by saying Bruce had been safe in his bed by the end of the day. Anna-Grace didn't say it, but this event had been as necessary for the mother that it had been for the son. Indeed, she had finally realized she didn't care if her baby was supposed to be a grown man, fighting aliens and robots, because that night, Bruce had forgotten about the monsters he was so afraid of, and she couldn't wait to do this all over again.

However, the spy disagreed on one part of the conclusion: Bruce didn't need a birthday party to forget about his monsters. Living with Anna-Grace was well enough to erase any nightmare from his mind.

So while the blond lady only shared her joy at this second chance, the ginger one listened, breathing in the healing like she was breathing oxygen.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The second birthday, the one that made Bruce literally worship Anna-Grace, had taken place only three days after the first one.

Bruce could've never imagined it even in his biggest dreams: to enter home by Anna-Grace's side and see so many friends—Peter, Rosie, Natasha, Nathan and his family—wish him a happy birthday was more than he deserved, surely.

But they were there, and everyone was laughing, and Anna-Grace had whispered it was a gift from her. Mum always said it wasn't polite to refuse gifts, so Bruce allowed himself the moment, deciding to put aside the overwhelming feelings that made him want to crawl in Anna-Grace's arms: soon enough, he was running around the apartment with Nathan, who quickly organized a hide and seek party, and all the children scattered in the apartment.

There were screams—some of joy, some of surprise, some of anger as always with kids—but no tears. The cake arrived with candles and the happy birthday song for the boy who kept looking everywhere like he was in a dream, devouring the show with his eyes. Gifts were given, and among all the toys and candies, Bruce felt particularly touched by the book on Winston Churchill from Nathan, who had remembered their conversation on the historical figure the last Sunday. Even those less inclined to feel comfortable around children came to the conclusion the kids' joy had been worthwhile with their noisiness and energy.

After the families had left, with sleepy kids asking for more and calmed only by the promise of seeing each other again on Sunday, Peter started teaching Bruce chess with the chess board he had offered to the boy. Rosie tidied up the apartment with Anna-Grace and Natasha, commenting on how successful the afternoon had been: "I have to admit I had lots of fun; more than I thought I would, Anna-Grace. You had a great idea inviting those families."

Soon, Natasha had to leave "for a meeting", and the smile and tiny press on the hand she gave Anna-Grace told the mother her past emotions—and torments—had been clear to the spy who was proud of how the mother had handled it all. Anna-Grace didn't know if her blushed face came from knowing it was right, or being so glad it made Natasha proud.

Then it was time for bed for Bruce, who was exhausted and Anna-Grace lifted him up in her arms, hugging him tightly, while he waved goodbye to Rosie and Peter, too tired to even speak.

Rosie then came crashing on the couch by Peter's side, commenting on how kids were funny.

"What do you mean?" asked Peter, surprisingly not grumpy at all even after spending so much time around kids.

"I witnessed a scene that opened my eyes, Peter."

"Really?"

"Yes. I saw kids running to one of the mothers—Cherry? Anyway, one of the kids, a girl, was pouting, saying the other one was a mean boy. Of course, the boy denied and the mom asked—with quite a tired voice I have to say—what the boy did that was mean. Well, believe it or not, after a pause, the girl said she didn't remember, but she did know it had been mean!"

Rosie was laughing and Peter realized he liked that sound and didn't mind thinking it. The story was funny, and he smiled, turning to Rosie, who was looking at all the balloons still attached to the ceiling. However, she looked at him quickly and saw him smiling at her, which he hadn't thought could happen. It was stupid, but then, one of those extremely annoying songs on the radio came back to his mind: "Step one: come a little closer; Step 2: rest upon my shoulder; Step 3: I'm calling you Baby; 3 steps 3 steps". He didn't know who it was from, but he suddenly wanted this to happen. He couldn't help but laugh at the idea of calling Rosie "Baby", knowing very well she wouldn't like it and would probably get upset about it, which would be why he would keep on calling her "Baby", just to continue hearing her fussing at him. He suddenly realized why he kept on annoying her and the words came tumbling out of his mouth without him realizing it before it was too late:

"I missed you fussing at me."

Her eyes widened, and he thought about withdrawing, but she suddenly smiled. She knew he was talking about that time she left and did not come back before several years.

"I know. I missed hearing you grumping all the time." Her smile fell. "Which is why I stayed away."

 _I was scarred_ was the unspoken truth they each saw reflecting in the other's eyes.

"You would think we wouldn't be so chicken at our age."

Rosie's smile came back, and she answered him:

"It's because we're old that we know the need to be scared. We're not idealistic fools."

"But isn't it better than being depressed fools?"

"Well, Peter, aren't you full of surprises? Who thought you would be the one preaching optimism?"

Peter laughed at her teasing voice, acknowledging his bad character, but didn't answer her, looking at the balloons instead. He heard his friend sigh by his side, and he knew she understood him. They had been lonely for so long that they weren't used to friendship and love anymore. But all they needed was a boy with an open heart and a young woman with an open, if hesitant, smile. As Rosie slowly took his hand, holding it between hers, he could feel her rings which he knew by heart stroking his fingers, and he knew the smile on his face was the twin of hers. He didn't say "I love you" because it wasn't yet the time, but they both knew it would soon be said.

* * *

Ta da!

So, what did you think? Please let me know! :)


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